Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly delivered a defiant address at the United Nations on Friday, denouncing countries that chose to recognize a Palestinian state this week and accusing them of caving to antisemitic pressure and media bias.
“When the going got tough, you caved,” Netanyahu declared from the General Assembly podium. “Instead of fighting the terrorists who murdered many of your citizens, you are fighting us.”
The Israeli leader, who has pressed for sustained military operations in Gaza, including the takeover of Gaza City, framed the recognition of Palestinian statehood by Western governments such as France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia as nothing less than a reward for terrorism.
“Israel will not allow you to shove a terror state down our throats,” Netanyahu said. “We will not commit national suicide because you don’t have the guts to face down a hostile media and antisemitic mobs demanding Israel’s blood.”
His remarks came after a notable protest walkout by delegates, leaving him to speak to a largely empty hall.
Yet Netanyahu sought to speak past the diplomats, saying he had ordered trucks with loudspeakers into Gaza so that Israeli hostages could hear his call for their release.
The speech underscored the growing divide between Israel and many of its traditional allies, even as President Trump continues to serve as Jerusalem’s strongest backer.
The two leaders are scheduled to meet Monday. Trump has expressed frustration with the war’s duration, but his administration has maintained unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself. “It’s looking like we have a deal in Gaza,” Trump told reporters on Friday. “I think it’s a deal that will get the hostages back. It’s gonna be a deal that will end the war.”
Netanyahu, for his part, rejected international charges that Israel is committing genocide. He mocked the allegations, saying: “What a joke.” Israel, he insisted, has worked to minimize civilian casualties by urging evacuations and by facilitating the entry of food into Gaza.
The prime minister’s combative stance resonated with members of his right-leaning government.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir both praised him for standing firm under pressure.
Netanyahu himself has warned that global isolation may be unavoidable but argued Israel could endure as a “super-Sparta” of the Middle East — a comment he later clarified as a reference to the defense industry, not a retreat from global markets.
Critics at home, including opposition leader Yair Lapid, accused Netanyahu of delivering “gimmicky” remarks that worsened Israel’s diplomatic position.
Families of hostages also protested outside U.N. headquarters, urging a negotiated end to the war. Ilana Gritzewsky, who survived 50 days in Hamas captivity, accused Netanyahu of breaking promises: “You looked me in the eyes, you said in your own voice you would bring everyone back. You lied to us.”
Still, Netanyahu made clear that Israel’s security — not international applause — will dictate its actions. “We will not commit national suicide,” he repeated, rejecting what he cast as Western capitulation to terrorism.
[READ MORE: Sarkozy Sentenced to Prison in Case Tied to Gadhafi, but Evidence Remains Murky]
