Netanyahu at UN: Israel Will Win, Has No Choice

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an aggressive speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, defending Israel's military operations since the October 7th attacks and launching sharp criticisms against Iran, Qatar, Turkey, and several Western leaders. His appearance was met with a divided reception, with supporters chanting "Am Israel Hai" while some delegations walked out, prompting the session's president to call for order.

Netanyahu began by focusing on the Iranian threat and its nuclear program, stating that the decision to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities was "one of the easiest" he had made, asserting, "If I hadn't done it, we would be dead." He accused diplomats who left the hall of "stunning hypocrisy," arguing that Israel had also protected their countries from Iran. He then criticized the UK and France for accusing Israel of colonialism, contrasting their actions with their own colonial past. He also addressed Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa regarding Israeli forces in the buffer zone, asserting that the Golan Heights were historically Jewish.

Recounting a conversation with his late brother Yoni Netanyahu before the 1967 Six-Day War, where Yoni stated, "We will win. We have no other choice," the Prime Minister echoed these words, applying them to the current conflict. He described the October 7th attack as Israel's "darkest day" but declared that the nation had "risen and fought like lions." He praised Israeli soldiers and highlighted strikes against Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as operations against Iran's military and nuclear capabilities.

Addressing settler violence in the West Bank, Netanyahu dismissed international media focus on a "handful of young delinquents," stating he had tasked the Shin Bet with acting against perpetrators of revenge attacks. He directly challenged French President Emmanuel Macron's assertion that Hamas would not operate in the West Bank, citing the recent killing of a French citizen and the severe injury of Neria Leiter, son of Israel's ambassador to the US, in a car-ramming attack.

Netanyahu thanked former US President Donald Trump for his "courageous leadership" and praised the IDF as "the most moral army in the world," including Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze soldiers. He accused Qatar of spending billions to spread lies against Israel, influencing American universities and media like Al Jazeera to foster hatred towards Israel, America, and the West. He also criticized Turkey for hosting Hamas and spreading hostile propaganda, directly addressing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and asserting, "No sir, you will not lead it. It is our city" in reference to Jerusalem.

Rejecting accusations of genocide in Gaza as "the biggest lie of the century," Netanyahu cited the entry of aid and vaccines into the Strip and Israel's measures to protect civilians. He also targeted New York Mayor Eric Adams, accusing him of supporting Hamas and being antisemitic. He concluded by reiterating his brother's phrase, "We have no other choice," and wished the assembly happy holidays.