Dozens of Delegates Walk Out During Netanyahu’s UN Address
Light House Denver – Israeli PM Netanyahu told the UN Friday that Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza despite international pressure. But his remarks were overshadowed by a dramatic protest as dozens of delegates walked out of the chamber before he began speaking.
While Netanyahu took the podium, scattered shouts echoed through the hall. Some nations applauded his presence, while others demonstrated their disapproval by leaving. The U.S. delegation remained in place, reaffirming Washington’s support for Israel’s campaign against Hamas.
Netanyahu, known for his use of props at the UN, once again relied on visual aids. He displayed a map labeled “The Curse”, scribbling over it with a marker to underscore his point. At one moment, he held up a board with a multiple-choice question and even wore a QR code on his suit, inviting delegates to scan it.
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He also lavished praise on U.S. President Donald Trump, his closest ally in both political and military strategy. Netanyahu revealed plans for what he called an “unprecedented operation,” in which the Israeli military would seize control of mobile phones in Gaza to broadcast his speech directly to residents and Hamas fighters.
Netanyahu’s combative address came amid mounting diplomatic isolation and accusations of war crimes. In recent weeks, several countries, including Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom, formally recognized a Palestinian state, further pressuring Israel.
The European Union is weighing tariffs and sanctions, while the UN General Assembly this month passed a non-binding resolution urging Israel to commit to a two-state solution. Netanyahu has flatly rejected that path, calling Palestinian statehood a “non-starter.”
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged crimes against humanity, which he denies. Separately, the UN’s highest court is reviewing South Africa’s accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, an allegation Israel strongly disputes.
The backdrop to Netanyahu’s speech is Israel’s devastating war in Gaza. Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack killed about 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages, triggering Israel’s military response. Since then, Gaza’s health officials report that more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, with 90 percent of the population displaced and many facing starvation.
At a special UN session earlier this week, country after country condemned the humanitarian toll and demanded an immediate ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid. Over 150 nations now recognize a Palestinian state, though the United States remains opposed.
Even Washington, however, has signaled limits to its support. On Thursday, Trump stated that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, despite some of Netanyahu’s far-right ministers openly advocating for such a move. Israel’s recent approval of a settlement project that would effectively split the West Bank has fueled further international criticism.
Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump during his stay in New York.
One day before Netanyahu’s speech, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the General Assembly via video after being denied a U.S. visa. Abbas welcomed recent recognition of Palestinian statehood but urged the world to go further.
“The time has come for the international community to do right by the Palestinian people,” Abbas said, calling for an end to the Israeli occupation and progress toward independence.
The Palestinian Authority, led by Abbas, governs parts of the West Bank, while Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007. Palestinians seek to establish a state in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war.
Despite growing international recognition of Palestine and calls for a two-state solution, Netanyahu remains firm. At the airport before leaving for New York, he dismissed the idea outright.
“Creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas,” he said. “This will not happen.”
His remarks at the UN made clear that Israel intends to press on with its war in Gaza, even as the world increasingly calls for a different path.
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This information is sourced from CBC. Israeli PM Netanyahu told the UN Friday that Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza despite international pressure. Read the full article on LightHouseDenver.
|Author: Lukman Azhari
|Editor: Anna Hidayat
