A shout of “Free Palestine”, a mass walkout, a quiz and even a QR code – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN speech saw some unusual moments as he lashed out at the world.
In his 40-minute address, the Israeli leader, booed by a few delegates and applauded by his supporters, sought to defy a growing global consensus: there is no genocide in Gaza and there will be no Palestinian state.
He vowed to keep attacking Gaza until his terms are met, despite mounting calls for a ceasefire that have dominated the UN General Assembly this week. His speech also came as European countries stepped up threats of sanctions against his government.
Mr Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
“Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7 is like giving Al Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11,” Mr Netanyahu claimed. “This is sheer madness. It’s insane, and we won’t do it.”
He dismissed recent moves by European and other governments to recognise Palestinian statehood, accusing them of emboldening violence.
“We will not allow you to shove a terror state down our throats,” he said. “We will not commit national suicide because you don't have the guts to face down a hostile media and anti-Semitic mobs demanding Israel's blood.”
Mr Netanyahu delivered his remarks to a largely empty UN hall after dozens of delegations walked out at the start of his speech.
The US delegation stayed for the address. But in a sign of increased pressure on Israel from its allies, both Washington and London pointedly sent only junior diplomats to the chamber rather than their ambassadors or senior envoys.
Even the UN General Assembly’s president, Annalena Baerbock, who has overseen proceedings throughout the week, was conspicuous by her absence.
Against international will
Mr Netanyahu was speaking days before a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss the plan to end the war, after the US made it clear that annexing the occupied West Bank is not an option.
US, Arab, European and Israeli proposals have coalesced this week at the UN into what diplomats describe as the most serious attempt yet to end the war in Gaza and shape the “day after”.
On Tuesday, the road map – called the “Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Middle East and Gaza” – was introduced by the US President to Arab officials and others.
The road map, shaped over months of quiet consultation, is regarded as the leading option for halting the war in the Gaza Strip, even if some parties do not endorse all of the elements, The National understands.
“Netanyahu cannot force his will on the international community,” a senior Arab diplomat said at the UN after Mr Netanyahu's speech.
“Monday's meeting is what really counts. Today's speech is more of an outburst. If there is a party that is rejecting that, it cannot go against the whole international will.”
The official added that Arab and Islamic countries are united behind Mr Trump's efforts to end the war in Gaza.
“We hope that we are nearing the end of the war, and there is Arab and Islamic unity in supporting President Trump’s efforts to stop it,” he clarified. “We see an opportunity to make it a reality.”
In his speech, Mr Netanyahu boasted that his remarks were being broadcast live to Gazans on their mobile phones and through loudspeakers placed along the Gaza border.
“To the remaining Hamas leaders and to the jailers of our hostages, I now say, lay down your arms. Let my people go free, the hostages, all of them.”
Israeli diplomats, their families and some members of the Israeli media cheered and applauded Mr Netanyahu as he delivered his speech. When he arrived, he was also met with boos and a “Free Palestine” shout from one of the delegates.
Wearing a lapel badge displaying a QR code that linked to a website showing graphic images from Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Mr Netanyahu sought to underline the scale of the assault that triggered Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
No genocide in Gaza
Defending allegations from UN experts and several nations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu said the charge was “baseless” and pointed to Israel's orders for civilians to leave Gaza city before the military offensive there.
“Did the Nazis ask the Jews to leave [the] country? … Did others?” he said, adding that Hamas is a “genocidal terrorist organisation whose charter calls for the murder of all Jews on the planet”.
He also sought to refute claims Israel is deliberately starving the people of Gaza.
Despite the UN declaring famine in the Palestinian enclave and accusing Israel of being responsible, Mr Netanyahu said his country has facilitated massive deliveries of aid − a claim vehemently rejected by aid organisations.
He claimed more than two million tonnes of food and other aid has been sent since the war began, “one tonne of aid for every man, woman and child in Gaza, nearly 3,000 calories per person per day”.
'Dirty work'
Mr Netanyahu repeated an earlier claim that many world leaders who publicly criticise Israel privately express gratitude for its intelligence operations.
“You know deep down that Israel is fighting your fight,” Mr Netanyahu said. “Behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us, privately thank us."
Quoting former US Air Force intelligence chief Gen George Keegan, Mr Netanyahu added: “If the United States had to gather on its own the intelligence that Israel gives us, we would have to establish five CIAs.”
He also cited remarks attributed to former German chancellor Olaf Scholz, saying that after Israel struck Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, Mr Scholz “admitted the truth” that “Israel is doing the dirty work for all of us”.
Mr Netanyahu used his speech to recap some of Israel's military actions against Iran and militant groups it funds over the past year.
He said Israel had crushed Hamas, crippled Hezbollah by killing many of its leaders, struck Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, and devastated Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
He boasted that Israel had even targeted Hezbollah with “pagers”, saying the group “got the message”.
The Iranian delegation was absent for Mr Netanyahu's speech. They left an image depicting children they said Israel had killed in its military actions.
Mr Netanyahu also called on Lebanon’s government to open direct negotiations with Israel, praising Beirut’s “declared aim” to disarm Hezbollah but warning that words must be matched by action.
“But we need more than words if Lebanon takes genuine and sustained action to disarm Hezbollah,” he said.
“Of course, until that happens, we will take whatever action we need to defend ourselves and to maintain the conditions of the ceasefire established in Lebanon,” essentially vowing to keep violating the ceasefire until the group is disarmed.
