Emphasizing IDF Battlefield Victories, Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly

Latest Developments

Netanyahu Addresses UNGA in New York: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 26, stating that Israel must “finish the job” against Hamas and condemning the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several member nations. Upon taking the stage, dozens of delegates walked out of the assembly hall in a staged protest. Netanyahu underlined the IDF’s military victories on the battlefield while referring to a whiteboard detailing where Israel has fought Iran-backed threats throughout its multifront war since the Hamas-led October 7 atrocities, including Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Gaza, Syria, and Iran itself. The prime minister also wore a pin with a QR code that took viewers to a website where they could witness the Hamas atrocities against Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023.
Speaking to the Hostages Directly: In an “unprecedented action,” Netanyahu directed several loudspeakers to be set up in and around the border of Gaza to broadcast his address live. At one point during the speech, he spoke to the hostages directly, first in Hebrew and then in English, saying, “We have not forgotten you, not even for a second,” adding, “we will not falter, and we will not rest until we bring all of you home.” Netanyahu also said that Israeli intelligence had enabled his speech to be broadcast live to the cellphones of Gaza residents and Hamas members. Addressing Hamas, he demanded, “Free the hostages, all of them, the whole 48. Free the hostages now. If you do, you will live. If you don’t, Israel will hunt you down.”
Condemning the Recognition of a Palestinian State: The prime minister also condemned the decision by several Western leaders to recognize a Palestinian state at the UNGA in recent days, declaring that their “disgraceful decision[s] will encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere.” He argued, “Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7th is like giving al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11th.” Netanyahu’s speech came a day after President Donald Trump said that he would “not allow” the Israeli Prime Minister to annex the West Bank in response to Palestinian statehood recognition, stating, “it’s not going to happen.”

FDD Expert Response

“The United Nations again showed its institutionalized and endemic anti-Israel bias as significant portions of the General Assembly walked out of Netanyahu’s address before he even began speaking. These same delegations have sat quietly and attentively during speeches from Iran, Sudan, Russia, and Congo, all accused of gross human rights violations. Lost in the theatrics was Netanyahu’s outreach to the Iranian people, promoting the idea that they should be free of the monstrous theocratic regime in Tehran. The UN General Assembly has once again shown that authoritarian governments have co-opted the international organization and that it functions as an enabler of despots.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Government Relations, FDD Action

“Netanyahu is correct that Hamas is celebrating and sending thank-you messages to countries recognizing a Palestinian state for a simple reason: It rewards mass murder, attempted genocide, and hostage-taking and further radicalizes Palestinian society. Most people living under Palestinian Authority rule supported October 7, and this wave of symbolic recognitions will only make peace that much harder to achieve.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

“Netanyahu’s speech highlighted a troubling challenge still facing Israel. While it’s true that the IDF has beaten back the Iranian threat across multiple fronts, Hamas continues to hold 48 Israeli hostages and control the lives of almost 2 million Gazans. Israel will need to find a way to end the war and remove Hamas from power once and for all.” — Seth J. Frantzman, Adjunct Fellow