Israel leader defends attacks on Iran, Gaza
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Lashing out at his country's critics, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angrily dismissed allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza as "the biggest lie of the century" in a defiant speech to the U.N. General Assembly. He also asserted his nation's right to wage war against Iran. Scores of delegates trooped out of the hall in protest.
Netanyahu addressed the plenum after days of speeches by world leaders condemning Israel's war in Gaza. At times, the Israeli leader, facing a tough race for re-election next month, became emotional and indignant as he lectured his critics, among them New York's mayor.
Netanyahu, his voice rising in emphasis, said attacking Iran "was one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make" and denounced as "moral cowards" a mass of delegates who walked out of the hall when he took the podium to speak.
"In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu's remarks -- which at times sounded like a stump speech -- were aimed largely at the audience at home as the country prepares for elections on Oct. 27. It was delivered during the evening prime time in Israel and filled with standard talking points used to defend policies in the occupied West Bank and treatment of the Palestinians.
Netanyahu reminded the assembly of the scale of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in which Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people.
"This is equal to 40,000 innocent Americans slaughtered in less than 24 hours," he said.
Netanyahu said the attack left Israel with no choice but to hit Hamas hard. Many governments have accused Israel of committing war crimes, and Netanyahu himself faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court accusing him of crimes against humanity.