Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza, giving a defiant speech despite growing international isolation over his refusal to end the devastating war.
He spoke after dozens of delegates from multiple nations walked out of the UN hall en masse on Friday as Netanyahu took to the podium.
As the Israeli leader spoke, unintelligible shouts echoed around the hall. The U.S. delegation, which has backed Netanyahu in his campaign against Hamas, stayed put. Applause rang out in other quarters as he began his speech.
As he has often in the past, Netanyahu held up a visual aid – a map of the region titled “THE CURSE.” He marked it up with a large marker. Later, he pinned a QR code onto his suit jacket and held up a board with a multiple-choice question that he read to the audience.
He also frequently praised U.S. President Donald Trump, his chief ally in his political and military approach in the region.
Netanyahu faces international isolation, accusations of war crimes and growing pressure to end a conflict he has continued to escalate. Friday’s speech was his chance to push back on the international community’s biggest platform.
In recent days, Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom and others announced their recognition of an independent Palestinian state.
The European Union is considering tariffs and sanctions on Israel. The assembly this month passed a non-binding resolution urging Israel to commit to an independent Palestinian nation, which Netanyahu has said is a non-starter.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant accusing Netanyahu of crimes against humanity, which he denies. And the UN’s highest court is weighing South Africa’s allegation that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, which it vehemently refutes.
At a special session of the assembly this week, nation after nation expressed horror at the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that killed about 1,200 people in Israel, saw 251 taken hostage and triggered the war. Many of the representatives went on to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and influx of aid.
Israel’s sweeping offensive has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health officials, and displaced 90 per cent of its population, with an increasing number now starving.
While more than 150 countries now recognize a Palestinian state, the United States has not, providing Israel with vociferous support. But U.S. President Donald Trump pointedly signalled Thursday there are limits, telling reporters in Washington that he wouldn’t let Israel annex the occupied West Bank. Israel hasn’t announced such a move, but several leading members in Netanyahu’s government have advocated doing so. And officials recently approved a controversial settlement project that would effectively cut the West Bank in two – a move that critics say could doom chances for a Palestinian state.