Netanyahu Vows Victory Over Iran at UN, Slams Global Critics

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Thursday at the UN General Assembly that Iran will ultimately lose its conflict with the United States and Israel, stating that the Jewish state has "no other choice" but to prevail.

"We're going to win. We have no other choice," Netanyahu proclaimed, echoing sentiments his late brother Yoni expressed during the Six-Day War in 1967. The prime minister invoked past Israeli military triumphs against nations that threatened its existence, including an operation involving explosive pagers used against Hezbollah members.

Netanyahu brought one of these devices to the UN stage, questioning delegates if they remembered them. Outside the UN headquarters, hundreds of demonstrators protested, with some far-left politicians and actors reportedly being arrested. The prime minister also targeted Syria, Turkey, Qatar, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had threatened to prosecute him for alleged war crimes.

Focusing on the Iranian threat, Netanyahu recounted his 2012 speech where he drew a red line to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. "Fourteen years ago, I stood on this podium and I drew a red line. I vowed to prevent Iran's murderous dictatorship from developing atomic bombs, nuclear weapons aimed at destroying Israel, nuclear weapons that could threaten the entire world," he stated. "That's exactly what we did."

He described the decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities as difficult but ultimately necessary for survival. "Now, let me say something that might surprise you. 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," he continued. "Because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead."

Netanyahu asserted that by defending itself, Israel was also safeguarding many of the nations whose delegates had departed the hall during his address. He claimed that leaders from several of these countries had privately thanked Israel for its actions against Iran's nuclear program.

As Netanyahu began his speech, delegates from Iran, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, and other nations reportedly walked out of the assembly hall. In response to the empty seats for Iran, a photo of IRGC General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2020, was placed on their chairs.

Netanyahu addressed the departing delegates, calling them "moral cowards." He also criticized the Iranian regime's reliance on propaganda, quipping that photos were "about all they have left of their senior generals."

While acknowledging "differences" with then-President Donald Trump, Netanyahu credited the former president's "bold leadership" for aiding Israel in confronting Iran's nuclear ambitions. "He understood that if left unchallenged, the fanatic Ayatollahs who chant, ‘Death to America, death to Israel,’ would eventually carry out their mad fantasies," he said. "So Israel and America acted together — not only to protect ourselves, but to save civilization."

Netanyahu also highlighted the growing Iranian internal dissent, presenting a Starlink device as a tool for dissidents to bypass internet restrictions. "The Iranian regime is especially afraid when their people have this," he noted.

The prime minister also sharply criticized Qatar for allegedly funding campaigns that spread misinformation about Israel in media and universities, suggesting this had "brainwash[ed] young minds to hate Israel, hate America, hate the West." He also denounced Turkey, characterizing its leadership as "a tyrant" with disregard for international norms and borders.

Addressing accusations of "genocide," Netanyahu directly challenged Mayor Mamdani, stating, "Israel didn't commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide." He argued that Mamdani's alleged allies, Hamas, would have committed genocide against Israelis if they had not been stopped.