OMM Redaksiyası
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his country’s actions in the region during a speech at the United Nations on Thursday. Dozens of delegates walked out of the hall in protest during his address.
The walkout came as Netanyahu faced international criticism over the war in Gaza and campaigned for re-election ahead of the Oct. 27 vote. Netanyahu called those protesting “moral cowards.” Supporters in the gallery chanted in Hebrew, “The people of Israel live.”
Netanyahu’s accusations
In his speech, Netanyahu criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal. He accused Western European leaders of falling under the influence of “antisemitic mobs” and alleged that Qatar and Türkiye were spreading lies about Israel.
A spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the accusation. The spokesperson said Netanyahu’s repeated attacks against Doha were intended to divert attention from Israel’s responsibility for its policies in the region.
Burhanettin Duran, the director of communications for the President of Türkiye, also called Netanyahu’s accusations concerning him and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan baseless.
Election campaign and US relations
During his approximately 40-minute speech, Netanyahu said Israel was fighting on “seven fronts.” He identified the war with Iran, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes in late February, as one of those fronts.
Opinion polls show Netanyahu’s bloc trailing its rivals ahead of the election. Although the Israeli prime minister praised US President Donald Trump in his speech, no meeting with Trump was scheduled during Netanyahu’s visit to the United Nations.
“We will continue to defend our country. We will continue to win because we have no other choice. In this fight against the barbarians, we have no greater partner than President Trump. I thank him and his courageous leadership,” Netanyahu said.
Protest in New York
Several hundred people held a protest near the United Nations. Dozens of demonstrators blocked a road and chanted, “Stop arming Israel, let Gaza live” and “Stop arming Israel, let Iran live.”
According to local reports, police detained 103 people during the protest.
Israel has faced increasing diplomatic isolation since launching the war in Gaza. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Mohammed Deif, who was Hamas’ military commander at the time.
Earlier this month, Israel’s long-standing allies — the United Kingdom, France and Canada — announced sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Washington’s response has been limited.
Netanyahu accused the leaders of those countries of falling under the influence of “antisemitic mobs” and pursuing policies of weakness and concessions.
