Representatives From Various Countries Walk Out One After Another as Netanyahu Takes the Podium: "Moral Cowards"

【Financial News New York = Reporter Lee Byung-cheol】  When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium at the United Nations General Assembly, dozens of representatives from various countries stood up and left the chamber. Netanyahu called them "moral cowards" in response. With less than five weeks remaining before Israel's general election, Netanyahu chose to confront the deepening international isolation head-on at the UN.
On the 24th (local time), Netanyahu actively defended Israel's war in the Gaza Strip and its military actions in the Middle East in a speech at the 81st United Nations General Assembly held at UN headquarters in New York. As delegations walked out in protest at the start of the speech, Netanyahu's supporters in the gallery shouted in Hebrew, "The people of Israel are alive."
Much of his attack was directed at Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City. Addressing Mamdani, who had criticized him as a war criminal, Netanyahu said, "You tried to prevent me from coming here. You tried to silence me." He added, "But you cannot silence me, and you cannot silence the truth either."
During his campaign, Mamdani pledged to arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli prime minister visited New York, based on the ICC arrest warrant alleging war crimes, but later acknowledged that the Mayor of New York City has no legal authority to do so. This week, he criticized Netanyahu as the "architect of a horrific genocide" against Palestinians. Netanyahu countered that day, saying, "Israel did not commit genocide. Rather, it prevented genocide."
The speech also strongly resembled a campaign rally aimed at Israel's domestic election. With less than five weeks remaining before Israel's general election, Netanyahu's roughly 40-minute speech was broadcast live during prime time by Israel's four major broadcasters. Before the speech, the Israeli government installed 500 billboards across Manhattan carrying pro-Israel and anti-Iran messages and deployed dozens of promotional trucks.
Netanyahu again brought props to the speech. Recalling an attack that inflicted casualties on members of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, he held up a pager. He also brought out a Starlink satellite internet receiver and said he would leave it for the Iranian delegation. He argued that it was only a matter of time before Iran's regime was brought down by its people.
Regarding U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu expressed his gratitude, saying, "There has been no greater partner than President Trump in the fight against the barbarians." However, no meeting was scheduled between Trump and Netanyahu during the Israeli prime minister's visit to the United States.
Israel's diplomatic isolation is also deepening. Netanyahu faces restrictions on visiting many countries because of the ICC arrest warrant. This month, the United Kingdom, France and Canada announced sanctions targeting Israel's settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu criticized the Western leaders that day, saying they had "capitulated to anti-Semitic mobs" and "chosen weakness and appeasement."


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