Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly Amid Protests

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York on Thursday, September 24, to address the UN General Assembly. His speech, scheduled for 9:00 PM Israeli time, was met with a walkout by several delegations as he began speaking. Simultaneously, pro-Israel activists sang "Am Yisrael Chai" (The People of Israel Live). Earlier, dozens of Israelis and American Jews protested Netanyahu at Union Square, with a slogan reading "Netanyahu, Your Time Has Run Out." A pro-Palestinian rally also took place near UN headquarters, where Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and Emmy-winning actresses Cynthia Nixon and Hannah Einbinder were detained, along with actor Elliot Page. Netanyahu landed at a military airfield in New Jersey and proceeded to the UN for pre-scheduled meetings with leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, Ethiopia, Colombia, Greece, Slovenia, and Papua New Guinea. During his address, Netanyahu recalled his 14-year-old promise from the same podium to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, stating, "And now we have done it." He asserted that by dismantling Iran's nuclear program, Israel also protected other nations, including those whose representatives walked out, adding that these countries' representatives privately thanked Israel. Netanyahu also criticized France and the United Kingdom for accusing Israel of "colonialism." His speech addressed sharp accusations leveled against him and Israel by Arab and European leaders during the UN General Assembly session.