At UN, Netanyahu defends Israel as delegates walk out
EIS•Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s actions at the United Nations as dozens of delegates walked out, while he faced criticism over the Gaza war and campaigned ahead of Israel’s October 27 election.
1. Delegates walk out
Netanyahu called the departing delegates “moral cowards” and rejected accusations of genocide, saying Israel had prevented genocide. He also criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and leaders in Western Europe, and accused Qatar and Turkey of spreading lies about Israel.
2. Campaign speech
Netanyahu spoke for about 40 minutes, with the address broadcast live during evening prime time on Israel’s four main television channels. Opinion polls showed his bloc trailing rivals ahead of the October 27 election, and he described Israel as fighting on seven fronts, including a war with Iran that began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes in late February.
3. Diplomatic isolation
Dozens of delegates walked out as Netanyahu spoke, and several hundred protesters gathered near the United Nations. Israel has faced deepening diplomatic isolation over the Gaza war; earlier this month, Britain, France and Canada announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
