Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a dramatic scene at the United Nations on Friday as scores of delegates walked out of the General Assembly moments before his speech, while supporters in the audience cheered his arrival.
Taking the podium as the first speaker of the day, Netanyahu delivered a forceful address cataloging Israel’s ongoing fight against Hamas, Iran, and their allies. He reminded the assembly of the October 7, 2023, attacks in which Hamas-led fighters killed around 1,200 people in Israel, calling it one of the darkest days in the country’s history.
The Israeli leader directed sharp criticism at Western nations that have recently endorsed Palestinian statehood. “This week, the leaders of France, Britain, Australia, Canada and other countries unconditionally recognized a Palestinian state,” Netanyahu said. “They did so after the horrors committed by Hamas on October 7 — horrors praised on that day by nearly 90% of the Palestinian population.”
He condemned the move as a betrayal, declaring: “You know what message the leaders who recognize the Palestinian state this week sent to the Palestinians? It’s a very clear message: murdering Jews pays off.”
With more nations voicing support for Palestinian independence, Netanyahu’s government — considered the most right-wing in Israel’s history — reaffirmed its firm opposition to a Palestinian state, tying its stance to the broader war effort against Hamas.
