At the UN General Assembly, delegates from around the world furiously walked out en masse before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his speech defending Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Dozens of diplomats, including representatives from Iran and many countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, abandoned the hall in an organized protest, highlighting Netanyahu’s growing international isolation.
In his address, Netanyahu fiercely condemned the international recognition of a Palestinian state, describing it as an act that “rewards murderers, rapists, and child-burners.” He warned that Israel would not accept “national suicide” under international pressure and branded some Western leaders as weak and incapable of resisting what he called hostile media narratives.
“I will show our truth. I will condemn those leaders who, instead of denouncing Hamas criminals, want to give them a state in the heart of Israel,” Netanyahu declared.
He also directly addressed Palestinians in Gaza, claiming the war could end immediately if Hamas disarmed, released hostages, and the Gaza Strip was demilitarized. During his speech, Netanyahu displayed a large map of the region titled “curse,” which he said symbolized the threats facing Israel.
In an unusual propaganda move, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office claimed his speech was broadcast live into Gaza through loudspeakers along the border and via text messages sent to Palestinian civilians and Hamas militants.
Netanyahu also boasted of what he called strategic victories, citing strikes against Iran’s nuclear program and the killing of Hezbollah’s leader in Lebanon. He emphasized that Israel had dismantled most of Hamas’s terror infrastructure and aimed to conclude its military operation as soon as possible.
However, the reality on the ground and international reactions tell a different story. Foreign media report that Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, displaced over 90% of the population, and left a rising number of people starving due to blockade and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Earlier this week, at another UN session, country after country condemned Hamas’s 2023 attack, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 251 hostages. Yet, many also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expanded humanitarian aid, voicing deep concern for Palestinian civilians.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces mounting accusations of war crimes, an ICC arrest warrant, and genocide investigations at the International Court of Justice, following a case filed by South Africa.
Adding to the pressure, nations such as Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and others have recently announced formal recognition of a Palestinian state—a move Netanyahu denounced as a “historic and unacceptable shame” for Israel.
In this tense context, Netanyahu’s speech at the UN turned into a spectacle of clashes, boycotts, and fiery declarations, where he appeared increasingly isolated against the vast majority of the international community.
