Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the United Nations General Assembly stage on Friday with a combative message, defending his country's military operations across the Middle East and excoriating his detractors as several diplomats exited the hall in protest.
Netanyahu's appearance in New York came as the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against him remained outstanding, with the tribunal accusing him of enabling war crimes during Israel's campaign in Gaza—a operation launched in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023, terror attack.
"On that darkest of days, our enemies expected us to collapse," Netanyahu declared. "Well, we didn't collapse. Instead, we rose and fought like lions for the past three years. Our heroic soldiers have fought day in and day out in a seven-front war."
At the outset, Netanyahu urged "moral cowards" to join the delegates already boycotting his speech. The Israeli delegation responded with cheers, chanting in Hebrew, "The people of Israel live."
With his global isolation deepening—including unfavorable polling among most Americans—Netanyahu singled out one of his most prominent U.S. critics: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had pressed for the U.S. to enforce the ICC warrant upon Netanyahu's arrival. "To all those spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the antisemitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you!" Netanyahu thundered.
He continued directly at Mamdani: "Mr. Mamdani, you try to stop me from coming here. You try to silence me. Well, you can't silence me." The prime minister also rejected allegations from Mamdani and other critics that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Netanyahu framed Israel's military actions as unavoidable responses to threats on multiple fronts: Palestinian terrorist attacks in the West Bank, "militias" in Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, Iranian forces, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. His remarks underscored the broader regional conflict that has defined his tenure, as detailed in coverage of Netanyahu's UN speech set against Iran conflict and Gaza war.
While U.S. delegates remained and applauded, Netanyahu's relationship with the Trump administration appeared strained. Unlike his 2025 UN visit, he will not meet with President Trump at the White House this year. Trump departed Washington to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping, leaving no time for a bilateral meeting, according to Israeli and American officials, who also cited the Jewish High Holy Days and Netanyahu's ongoing reelection campaign ahead of Israel's October elections.
The snub highlights Netanyahu's growing isolation even among allies, a theme explored in Netanyahu blasts Mamdani as Hamas supporter ahead of UN trip. As the prime minister fights for political survival at home and faces international legal jeopardy, his UN performance signaled a defiant posture rather than a conciliatory one.
