Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly on Thursday that Israel and the US struck Iran six months ago to "save civilisation," as dozens of delegates walked out of the hall during his speech. He called the departing officials "moral cowards" and separately accused New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, Qatar and Turkey of spreading antisemitism.
Netanyahu defends Iran war as a fight to 'save civilisation'
Speaking before a nearly empty assembly room, Netanyahu framed the six-month-old war against Iran as necessary to protect Israel and the wider world. He thanked Donald Trump for his leadership in confronting Tehran.
Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, took the stage to boos as dozens of foreign officials stood and left the room. He argued that by striking Iran, Israel had also been protecting the countries that had just walked out of the hall.
Delegates walk out, Netanyahu criticizes them
Delegations from several countries staged a walkout as Netanyahu began his address. He responded by dismissing the departing delegates as cowards.
Netanyahu targets Mamdani, Qatar and Turkey
Netanyahu called New York mayor Zohran Mamdani an antisemitic friend of terrorists, telling the assembly that many Jews no longer feel safe in New York since Mamdani's election. He also accused Qatar of indoctrinating young people against Israel and named Turkey the latest source of antisemitic disinformation, criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan directly.
Outside the UN building, Netanyahu criticized protesters gathered against him. According to Financial Times: "You're phoney human rights protesters", he said, accusing them of targeting Israel while ignoring Iran's human rights record.
Protests split opinion outside UN headquarters
On Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza opposite the UN, demonstrators gathered on both sides. Hillary Markowitz, a 67-year-old paediatric nurse, held Israeli and American flags in support of Netanyahu, while another demonstrator, Stefan Krieger, carried a placard accusing Netanyahu of crimes against humanity.
Source: Financial Times
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