Netanyahu lashes Western leaders over Palestine recognition at UN, vows to finish Gaza campaign

NEW YORK — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a UN General Assembly address to condemn Western leaders who have recognized a Palestinian state, declaring that, while Israel will not accept what he called attempts to grant a 'terror state' a presence in the region, the country must finish the job against Hamas in Gaza. He said Western recognition would 'encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere' and warned that those leaders who refuse to confront what he described as murderers and arsonists were risking national suicide by appeasing a hostile media and anti-Semitic mobs demanding Israel's blood. His remarks came as dozens of delegates walked out of the hall while he spoke and as international pressure over the Gaza war intensified.

In the days leading up to his appearance, Britain, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium and France announced recognition of an independent Palestinian state, signaling growing international support for statehood. The European Union signaled it could pursue tariffs or sanctions on Israel in response to the conflict. Netanyahu, who has long argued that a Palestinian state would reward Hamas, told the UN that the move to recognize Palestine is a step he described as unacceptable and dangerous. He also used a projected map and other visuals during his speech, a familiar tactic in past UN appearances that underscored his point about what he called a recurrent Palestinian rejection of a Jewish state. ![Netanyahu UN speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/09/26/15/102479701-0-image-m-13_1758895643924.jpg