At the UN, Netanyahu criticizes delegations leaving the room

For about 40 minutes, Netanyahu targeted New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Western European leaders, as well as Qatar and Turkey. He dismissed allegations of war crimes against him and accused his critics of spreading lies about Israel.

The speech also had a strong domestic dimension. Israeli general elections are set to take place in less than five weeks, and the address was broadcast live by the country’s four main television channels. The Israeli government had also arranged for 500 billboards and dozens of advertising trucks to be deployed in Manhattan, according to the Prime Minister’s office.

Outside the UN headquarters, several hundred protesters condemned Israeli operations. Dozens blocked traffic and were detained by police, according to Reuters.