Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today rejected accusations against his country of genocide in the Gaza Strip, BTA reports.
Israel is defending itself, Netanyahu emphasized in his speech during the general political debates within the framework of the 81st annual session of the UN General Assembly. He asked which country, which commits genocide, sends (to Gaza - ed.) tons of humanitarian aid and millions of polio vaccines.
Israel is waging war on seven fronts, but there is also an eighth - a number of countries are pouring billions of dollars into a disinformation campaign against us, the Israeli Prime Minister pointed out. He has been sharply critical of politicians who accuse Israel of genocide, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he accused of wanting to take over Syria. In response to Erdogan's statements in support of the Palestinians, Netanyahu stressed that Jerusalem is the "eternal capital" of Israel. Netanyahu also called Erdogan a tyrant and Turkey a super-spreader of disinformation about Israel.
The Israeli leader also criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. He accused Mamdani of endangering the city's Jews because of his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza. In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu said that the mayor had spread lies about Israel. "Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. They talk to me and tell me, "This is not the city we remember, it has changed so quickly," Netanyahu said, according to the Associated Press.
Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of Israel's military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a "war criminal" who is "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."
Before Netanyahu could begin speaking, dozens of delegates walked out of the room. Netanyahu called the diplomats who left the room "moral cowards." "If there are still cowards in this room who have not left, let them leave now," the Israeli prime minister said as he took the floor.
The room, which had been relatively empty since early this morning, had gradually filled up before the Israeli leader's speech. The Palestinian delegation called on other delegations to join it in leaving the room in protest against Netanyahu's speech. The call was made in a message sent to them and seen by AFP.
Earlier in his speech, Netanyahu said that Israel was defending many of the countries whose delegates had now left the room in protest against his speech, Reuters reported. He said many leaders had thanked him in private conversations for Israel's destruction of Iran's nuclear weapons, the Associated Press reported. Netanyahu said the attack on Iran was one of the easiest decisions he had to make.
One day the Iranian people will be free, the Israeli prime minister said. He called the regime in Tehran "deadly".
The Israeli leader said his country would win because it had no other choice. He said his country would continue to defend itself, as it had no other choice, Reuters reported.
Netanyahu stressed that Israel has no greater partner than US President Donald Trump and thanked him.
The Israeli prime minister accused Qatar of trying to brainwash young people into hating Israel and America.
The Israeli leader criticized countries such as France and Britain, which criticize Israel's colonization policy, while they themselves are former colonizers, Agence France-Presse reported.
„They accuse Israel of colonialism. What colonialism? Among those who make such accusations are people in Britain and France. "For God's sake, these countries invented this concept," Netanyahu said, recalling that their colonies stretched across the entire planet.
Regarding the Israeli settlers who are committing violence in the West Bank, Netanyahu said they are "a handful of young lawbreakers" and accused the international media of giving their actions disproportionate coverage. Netanyahu said these people are about 150 people who are throwing stones and uprooting olive trees, AFP reported.
There were also cheers during Netanyahu's speech.
There was a protest outside the UN headquarters today against the presence of the Israeli prime minister.