UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech as he labels them ‘moral cowards’ and defends Israel’s actions
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Delivering a defiant address to the United Nations on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mounted a firm defence of Israel's regional military actions, attempting to push back against deepening global isolation ahead of upcoming domestic elections.
As he approached the podium inside the General Assembly hall, several delegations staged a walkout in protest, prompting the Israeli leader to label those departing "moral cowards."
Throughout the address, he directed sharp criticism at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for branding him a war criminal, condemned Western European governments for capitulating to "antisemitic mobs", and accused Qatar and Turkey of disseminating falsehoods regarding Israel.
Speaking about Mamdani, Netanyahu declared: "You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried. You tried to silence me. Well, you can't silence me. You can't silence the truth."
Mamdani had built his electoral platform partly on a pledge to arrest the Israeli leader over war crimes allegations if he entered New York, though he subsequently acknowledged he lacked the statutory power to act. Earlier in the week, Mamdani characterised Netanyahu as "the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians."
Reopening their public dispute upon arriving in the city, Netanyahu falsely alleged that the New York mayor supported Hamas fighters.
"To all those spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the antisemitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you!"
The trip marked Netanyahu’s first visit to New York since Mamdani assumed office in January, with the Israeli leader firmly denying all war crimes allegations.
Facing a national vote in less than five weeks, Netanyahu delivered a 40-minute, campaign-orientated address that was broadcast live during prime time across all four major Israeli television networks.
To coincide with the appearance, the Israeli government funded 500 pro-Israel and anti-Iran billboards alongside advertising trucks across Manhattan, according to a statement from his office.
Trailing in domestic opinion polls, Israel's longest-serving prime minister framed the current military conflicts as a seven-front struggle for national survival.
Netanyahu has frequently used visual aids during previous UN appearances—including charts and diagrams—to highlight Iran’s nuclear programme, an initiative Tehran maintains is purely civilian.
On Thursday, he displayed a pager, referencing recent covert operations against Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, alongside a Starlink satellite internet receiver intended, he claimed, for the Iranian delegation.
"So when they inevitably defect, they too will be able to freely tell their story on social media," he asserted, suggesting the collapse of the Iranian regime by its public was inevitable.
Outside, demonstrations against Israel took place on the streets of New York.
Hundreds gathered near the UN headquarters, where police arrested dozens of demonstrators who blocked traffic while chanting "Stop arming Israel, let Gaza live" and "Stop arming Israel, let Iran live."
The ongoing Israeli election campaign comes amid growing international condemnation over the military campaign in Gaza. Netanyahu’s brief visit to the US did not include a scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump, despite lavishing praise on him during the speech.
"We will continue to defend our state. We will continue to win because we have no other choice. In this battle against the barbarians, we've had no greater partner than President Trump. I thank him. I thank him for his bold leadership," he said.
