Netanyahu Defends Israel at UN, Mocks NYC Mayor, Draws Walkout

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza as "the biggest lie of the century" in a defiant address to the UN General Assembly, a speech that saw scores of delegates walk out in protest.

"Israel didn't commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide," Netanyahu asserted, labeling the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) "the most moral army in the world." He cited Israel's role in facilitating aid and vaccinations in Gaza, stating, "Israel did everything possible to get them out of harm's way."

These remarks come as Israel faces genocide allegations in a case brought by South Africa before the International Court of Justice. The court has mandated provisional measures for Israel under the Genocide Convention but has not yet ruled on the core allegation.

Netanyahu specifically criticized New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, referring to him as "the antisemitic mayor of New York" and including him among those "spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers." Netanyahu accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and inciting violence against Jewish people in New York, claims Mamdani has denied.

Mamdani, in turn, accused Netanyahu of using his speech to "repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians." He pointed to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Netanyahu.

The dispute between Netanyahu and Mamdani predates the UN speech. Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel's military actions, has previously labeled Netanyahu "a war criminal and an architect of a horrific genocide of the Palestinian people." He had also expressed an intent to see Netanyahu arrested under the ICC warrant, later acknowledging that local authorities lacked the power to execute it and calling for federal action.

NYPD data indicates that anti-Jewish incidents constituted 57% of reported hate crimes in New York City in 2025. Mamdani's administration has denied accusations of antisemitism and proposed increasing funding for hate-crime prevention programs, maintaining a dedicated Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism.

Netanyahu also praised President Donald Trump as "no greater partner," referencing a joint U.S.-Israeli operation that he said had targeted Iran's nuclear program. He described attacking Iran as "one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make as Prime Minister."

Further criticisms were leveled at Qatar, which Netanyahu accused of using its wealth to "brainwash young minds to hate Israel, America and the West" through university funding and the Al Jazeera network. He also criticized Qatar for hosting Hamas leaders and accused Turkey of being a "super-spreader of antisemitic lies."

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in a prerecorded address shown earlier Thursday, described the Palestinian people as facing "one of the most dangerous times of its history." He questioned the silence of some states and their continued supply of weapons to Israel, accusing Israel of "ethnic cleansing" and a "genocidal war."

The U.S. denied visas to Abbas and other Palestinian officials for the second consecutive year, citing the Palestinian Authority's "glorifying terrorism."

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel and about 250 hostages taken. Data from the IDF suggests a Palestinian civilian death rate of 83% in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described Gaza's level of killing and destruction as "unlike anything I have witnessed in all my years as Secretary-General." He added that Israel’s actions raised the "specter of ethnic cleansing."

Former President Donald Trump declared the war in Gaza was over and took credit for ending it and brokering the return of hostages, although key elements of the peace agreement remain stalled.

French President Emmanuel Macron questioned the international community's credibility if it remains inactive on Gaza, while British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that "we will not stand by as the horrific suffering continues to grow."