Netanyahu Blames Qatar for 'Lies' About Israel; Doha Retorts

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Al-Ansari responded to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly, where Netanyahu accused Qatar of spreading lies about Israel to influence global youth. Al-Ansari called the accusation an "insult to the consciousness and judgment of a generation witnessing events in real-time." He suggested that Netanyahu and other "extremist Israeli politicians" should change their policies instead of seeking "scapegoats" for Israel's declining global image, noting that such politicians increasingly speak to "empty halls."

Al-Ansari further stated on social media platform X that Qatar "strongly rejects" the claim of a campaign against Israel, calling Netanyahu's rhetoric a diversion from "the atrocities committed by his government in the occupied Palestinian territories and their severe humanitarian consequences." He argued that attributing shifts in global public opinion to "influence campaigns" disrespects the intelligence of those observing events directly and forming their own opinions. He asserted that attempts to blame Qatar or any other entity for changing global public opinion are unconvincing and serve to deflect political responsibility for actions on the ground, using Qatar for internal political calculations.

Meanwhile, approximately 100 protesters were arrested outside the UN headquarters during Netanyahu's speech, according to the New York Police Department. Following his address, Netanyahu met with the presidents of Argentina, Paraguay, Panama, and Bolivia to discuss expanding the "Abraham Accords," aiming to foster partnerships in economy, innovation, and security with Latin American nations. Netanyahu's office stated he thanked the presidents for their support of Israel's security and urged them to join the "Abraham Accords" initiative and the U.S. initiative to withdraw from the "corrupt" International Criminal Court.

Earlier, Netanyahu's office noted that many leaders requested meetings, but due to a tight schedule and the need to return before the Sukkot holiday, only some could be accommodated. As Netanyahu began his speech at the UN, dozens of country representatives walked out. He addressed them, calling them "hypocrites" and stating that they too were protected from the Iranian threat. He also claimed that many world leaders privately thank Israel for destroying Iranian nuclear facilities, calling it a matter of time before the Iranian people overcome their regime. Netanyahu also criticized New York Mayor Eric Adams, calling him a supporter of Hamas and dismissing claims of genocide against Israel, questioning how a genocidal nation would allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Netanyahu opened his speech by directly acknowledging the walkout, inviting any remaining "cowards" to leave. He recalled his 2012 speech at the same venue where he drew a "red line" to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, stating that preventing this was a difficult but easy decision, as failure would have meant Israel's demise. He argued that by defending itself, Israel also defended many of the countries whose representatives had just left, reiterating that many leaders privately acknowledged this. He compared the current situation to the Six-Day War, refuting accusations of colonialism and citing historical Jewish presence in the Golan Heights, while criticizing Britain and France for inventing the concept and attempting world domination. He described the existential threat Israel faced in 1967, with Arab armies poised to invade, and Israelis preparing for mass casualties, recalling his return to a darkened, war-prepared Israel as a high school student.