Netanyahu Addresses UN, Cites 'No Choice But to Win' Amid Protests

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, facing immediate protests as dozens of delegates walked out and shouted during his address. The speech, delivered against a backdrop of Israel's recent international isolation and the ongoing conflict with Iran, focused on the existential threats facing the Jewish state and its right to self-defense.

Netanyahu began by referencing his 2009 speech where he drew a red line against Iran developing nuclear weapons, stating that destroying Iran's nuclear facilities was a difficult but necessary decision. He asserted that in defending itself, Israel also protects many nations whose representatives were walking out, noting that some leaders privately acknowledge this. He drew parallels to the eve of the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel faced annihilation despite its small size and lack of territories now considered central to the conflict, emphasizing that the core issue is the existence of a Jewish state.

Recounting personal and national tragedies, Netanyahu invoked the memory of his brother Yoni, killed during the 1976 Entebbe rescue operation, and the horrors of the October 7th Hamas attacks. He described the massacre of 1,200 Israelis by Hamas terrorists with "sadistic glee," comparing the scale to 16 simultaneous 9/11 attacks. He highlighted Israel's ongoing fight on "seven fronts" against various hostile entities, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, and militias in Iraq and Syria, asserting that Israel has inflicted significant blows against them.

Netanyahu also addressed what he termed the "eighth front": the war on truth waged through global media and social networks, criticizing Qatar and Turkey for allegedly spreading anti-Israel propaganda and supporting Hamas. He strongly refuted accusations of genocide against Israel, citing extensive efforts to prevent civilian casualties and contrasting them with Hamas's alleged use of human shields and civilian infrastructure for terror. He concluded by reaffirming Israel's determination to win, emphasizing unity within the nation and its historical resilience, stating, "We have no other choice but to win."