Netanyahu Slams UN Walkout, Defends Iran Nuclear Stance

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a fiery address at the UN General Assembly in New York, during which dozens of country representatives walked out of the hall. Netanyahu called the departing delegates "hypocrites" and stated they were protected from the Iranian threat. He asserted that many world leaders secretly thanked Israel for destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities, calling it a matter of time before the Iranian people overthrow their regime. He sarcastically invited any remaining "cowards" to leave.

Netanyahu recalled his 2009 speech at the same podium where he drew a red line against Iran developing nuclear weapons, stating that destroying Iran's nuclear facilities was a difficult but easy decision for him, as failure to do so would have meant Israel's demise. He argued that by defending itself, Israel also defended many of the nations whose representatives had just left, highlighting their hypocrisy.

He drew parallels to the Six-Day War, refuting accusations of colonialism. Netanyahu reminded the audience that in 1967, Israel, a small nation, was surrounded by enemies, yet was accused of colonialism by Britain and France, nations that invented the concept. He described the existential threat Israel faced then, with Arab armies poised to invade and Israelis digging mass graves.

Netanyahu also criticized Qatar for spreading lies about Israel and called Turkish President Erdogan a "tyrant" seeking to control Jerusalem. He attacked New York Mayor Eric Adams, calling claims of genocide against Israel "the lie of the century" and questioning how a genocidal nation would allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg agreed with Netanyahu's assessment of the Iranian people's discontent with their leadership and credited US actions for crippling Iran's ballistic missile capabilities.

Netanyahu's decision to return to Israel immediately after his speech was reportedly due to security concerns and intelligence warnings. He held brief meetings with leaders from several countries but not with US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, an Israeli source suggested further attacks on Iran were imminent, warning that Iran's efforts to protect its nuclear program would be met with renewed strikes if Tehran crossed red lines. An Iranian military advisor countered that any US-initiated war could open a new front in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, though Iran hoped for peace and was prepared to defend itself.