Photo Credit: Brendan McDermid/Reuters via The Guardian
On Sept. 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a controversial address at United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City during the annual UN General Assembly high-level week. Netanyahu defended Israel’s military actions and said that his country had not committed genocide in Gaza. His words sparked protests in Manhattan, and critics challenged his assertion that Israel has not committed a genocide in Gaza.
When a general assembly is held, all 193 UN member states are invited to send representatives to address the UN. In addition to these members, permanent observers and supranational bodies are invited to participate, including The State of Palestine, the European Union and The Holy See, which is the governing power of the Catholic Church. The theme for the general debate this year was, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all.”
In total, 194 people spoke during the general debate, and mainly focused their speeches on domestic issues, spanning from rising energy prices to artificial intelligence.
As Netanyahu approached the podium, dozens of diplomats walked out of the hall. In response, Netanyahu told the remaining viewers, “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now,” according to the UN’s official transcript of his speech.
He called out the delegates who had left the hall before his speech, saying it was the “ultimate irony,” because, “In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall!”
Netanyahu began his speech by recalling the last time he stood at the same podium, fourteen years ago, when he had sworn to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
He continued to defend Israel's military campaigns in Iran, stating that, "Devastating Iran's nuclear facilities was hard. It was very hard to do. But for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make as prime minister. Because if we hadn't done it, we'd all be dead.”
He mentioned words his brother told him in 1967, on the eve of the Six-Day War, when Israel was “surrounded by enemies.” He asked, “What is going to happen?” His brother responded with, “We're going to win, we have no other choice.” He praised Israel's military strength, saying, “Do you know any other country the size of New Jersey capable of fighting a seven-front war? And for three years?”
Netanyahu thanked the US and President Donald Trump for his “bold leadership,” saying that, “In this battle against the barbarians, we’ve had no greater partner than President Trump.”
Netanyahu called out to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, saying that since his election, “Many Jews no longer feel safe in New York.” He said that Mamdani has falsely and repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide.
“Here's the simple truth. Israel didn't commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide,” Netanyahu said, according to Time. He referred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as “the most moral army in the world,” and said that Israel’s assistance with food aid and polio vaccines in Gaza shows that “Israel did everything possible to get them out of harm's way.”
Before Netanyahu spoke on Sept. 24, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN through a prerecorded speech, after the US denied his visa access to attend the UN in New York.
According to Time, he said that Israel was carrying out “ethnic cleansing” and a “genocidal war that has created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.”
While Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the debate, more than 100 protesters were arrested outside the headquarters of the United Nations, according to The Guardian. The protests outside the UN had occurred the entire week preceding the debate, and drew hundreds of everyday New Yorkers, alongside elected officials and celebrities.
Many pro-Palestine protesters wore shirts saying “fund people not bombs,” and chanted phrases like “Let Gaza live.” A couple of hours later, thousands of protesters marched from Bryant Park to the UN building in protest of Netanyahu's appearance in the city. They called for UN member states to sanction Israel.
Beth Miller, the political director of Jewish Voice for Peace Action told The Guardian, “What we made clear today is that New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, do not want war criminals and the architects of genocide coming to our city.”
The protests also challenged Mamdani, who made a pledge during his 2025 mayoral campaign to arrest Netanyahu if he came to the city, and who has long said that he supports New Yorkers’ right to protest. He had previously called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is not welcome in New York City, but in a video posted to social media on July 7, Mamdani said that he does not have the legal authority to arrest Netanyahu, according to Politico.
According to CBC News, Mamdani said at a press conference that he had no plans to attend any protest outside the UN, but made it clear that New Yorkers were free to attend protests.