Netanyahu attacks Palestinian recognition at UN as walkouts interrupt speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacked the recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western governments during a combative speech at the United Nations General Assembly, prompting dozens of officials and diplomats to walk out of the hall as he took to the podium. The walkouts, which left large sections of the conference hall empty, underscored mounting international pressure over Israel's war in Gaza and followed new recognitions by the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia and other countries this week.

Netanyahu labelled the moves to recognize a Palestinian state a "mark of shame" and said they sent the message "murdering Jews pays off." Dozens of officials and diplomats staged the walk-out, leaving large parts of the conference hall empty. Outside, protesters against Israel's war in Gaza gathered in Times Square as the speech unfolded. In the weeks leading up to the address, Israel faced a broad international push over its campaign in Gaza that has drawn support and condemnation from Western capitals.

In opening remarks, Netanyahu displayed a map labelled "The Curse" that he said showed Iranian proxy groups across the Middle East. He highlighted Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran over the past year. He thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for American involvement in bombing Iran's Fordo nuclear site in June, and drew parallels between Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the 9/11 attacks in the United States. The speech framed the conflict as part of a broader regional confrontation with Iran and its allies, a theme Netanyahu has used to argue for stronger regional deterrence.

Netanyahu devoted a substantial portion of the address to refuting international criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza. He rejected the conclusion of a United Nations commission of inquiry that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, calling the charge baseless. He also rejected statements by multiple UN agencies that Israel is deliberately restricting the amount of aid entering Gaza. An August UN-backed body had confirmed famine conditions in Gaza City, a finding Netanyahu criticized as mischaracterization of the humanitarian situation.

Ahead of his speech, Netanyahu's office ordered that the Israeli military mount loudspeakers on trucks near the Gaza perimeter fence to broadcast his words live across the territory. He also claimed that Israeli intelligence had hacked the smartphones of people in Gaza to stream his speech to them directly. BBC sources in Gaza said their phones had not been affected, illustrating the contested nature of information flows in the conflict.

During the address, Netanyahu said the message was for Israeli hostages held in Gaza. He read aloud a line invoking the hostages, "Our brave heroes," and said, "This is Prime Minister Netanyahu speaking to you live from the United Nations. We have not forgotten you, not even for a second. The people of Israel are with you. We will not falter, and we will not rest until we bring all of you home." The remarks reflected the administration’s emphasis on hostage issues as a political touchstone at a time of ongoing negotiations and uncertainty about negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire.

In the latter portion of the speech, Netanyahu shifted to regional neighbors, saying there was progress toward a de-escalation agreement with Syria and calling on the Lebanese government to step up its efforts to disarm Hezbollah. The push for regional normalization contrasted with the domestic political reaction, as opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the performance, writing on X that the address was "weary and whining" and that Netanyahu had worsened the state of the country despite presenting a diplomatic agenda.

Shortly after Netanyahu finished, former U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists, "I think we have a deal on Gaza." He offered no details, but the comment fed ongoing international speculation about possible ceasefire arrangements amid a flurry of diplomacy surrounding Gaza. Journalists covering the event noted that international access to Gaza remains tightly controlled; Israel has barred independent journalists from entering the enclave since the start of the war nearly two years ago, complicating verification of claims from all sides.

The Gaza war began after Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage. Since then, the conflict has caused immense civilian suffering and drew widespread international condemnation and support for various humanitarian responses. By the latest tallies, at least 65,549 people have been killed in Gaza according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, a figure cited by observers as part of the broader, contested casualty accounting in a conflict marked by restricted access for independent reporting and verification.

The UN, several Western capitals, and human rights organizations continue to pursue avenues for aid and diplomacy amid the fighting, while Netanyahu framed the Palestinian recognition as part of a dangerous trend that he argued undermines Israel’s security. The confrontation at the UN underscored the ongoing geopolitical risk surrounding the Gaza war, as regional tensions persist and international diplomacy remains deeply divided over how to address the humanitarian and security crises unfolding in the region.