On September 26, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stage at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, delivering a speech that was as defiant as it was divisive. Facing a hall where dozens of delegates had already walked out in protest, Netanyahu’s address came at a moment of unprecedented international isolation for Israel, with global criticism mounting over its ongoing war in Gaza and recent diplomatic moves that have left the country more alone than ever on the world stage.
Netanyahu’s message was clear: Israel, he insisted, "must finish the job" against Hamas in Gaza. "Western leaders may have buckled under the pressure," he declared, his voice unwavering. "And I guarantee you one thing: Israel won’t." According to the Associated Press, his words were met with a mix of applause from supporters in the gallery and unintelligible shouts from critics, while the seats reserved for the United States and the United Kingdom were notably filled by lower-level diplomats rather than senior officials. Many other seats were simply vacant.
The prime minister’s speech came just days after several key U.S. allies—including Australia, Britain, Canada, and France—announced their recognition of an independent Palestinian state. This move, described by The New York Times as a "diplomatic tsunami" for Israel, was a reaction to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which itself was ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Netanyahu did not mince words in his response to these recognitions. "Your disgraceful decision will encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere," he charged, according to AP reporting. He went further, accusing world leaders who recognized Palestinian statehood of sending the message that "murdering Jews pays off."
As Netanyahu spoke, the streets outside the United Nations were alive with protest. Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked traffic near Times Square, echoing global outrage over Israel’s military campaign. Inside the hall, the atmosphere was just as charged. Some attendees in the balcony gave Netanyahu a standing ovation, but the overall mood was one of tension and division, with scores of delegates making their exit as soon as he began.
Netanyahu’s speech was marked by his use of visual aids—a trademark move. He held up a map titled "THE CURSE," marking Israel’s challenges in a region he described as hostile, and wore a pin featuring a QR code linking to information about the October 7 Hamas attack and the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. In a dramatic gesture, the Israeli government set up loudspeakers at the Gaza border to broadcast his speech into the enclave, hoping the hostages would hear his vow: "We've not forgotten you—not even for a second." The prime minister’s office claimed that the Israeli army had also commandeered mobile phones inside Gaza to transmit the message, although AP journalists inside Gaza saw no immediate evidence of this broadcast.
Netanyahu’s rhetoric was not just aimed at the international community but also at a deeply divided domestic audience. As The New York Times noted, his speech was interpreted in Israel as much as a message to voters as to world leaders. With elections looming and criticism of his handling of the war mounting at home, Netanyahu leaned into a narrative of defiance. "The isolation is real, but Netanyahu calculates that his domestic political base rewards defiance more than conciliation," observed Eli Groner, a former director general of the prime minister’s office.
Throughout his address, Netanyahu railed against what he characterized as "weak-kneed leaders who appease evil rather than support a nation whose brave soldiers guard you from the barbarians at the gate." He accused many leaders of caving "under the pressure of a biased media, radical Islamist constituencies and antisemitic mobs." In his harshest terms yet, he declared, "Israel will not allow you to shove a terrorist state down our throats. We will not commit national suicide because you don’t have the guts to face down the hostile media and antisemitic mobs demanding Israel’s blood."
Netanyahu’s firm opposition to Palestinian statehood was a central theme. He likened the prospect of granting statehood after the October 7 attacks to "giving Al Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11." He insisted that this was not just his position, but that of "over 90 percent of Israelis." As The New York Times reported, he argued, "It’s not a fringe group. It’s not the prime minister who himself is extreme, or he’s held hostage by extreme parties to his right… It’s over 90 percent of Israelis."
Meanwhile, the human cost of the conflict continued to mount. According to AP, Israel’s sweeping offensive has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians in Gaza and displaced 90% of its population since the war began. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, accusing him of crimes against humanity—charges he vehemently denies. The United Nations’ highest court is also considering South Africa’s allegation that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, which Israel rejects.
Netanyahu’s speech also touched on recent security developments. He highlighted Israel’s military operations targeting threats in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, and noted that Israel had begun negotiations with Syria to reach security arrangements with the new government in Damascus. He made a point of praising U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a chief ally and referencing ongoing negotiations about Gaza. Trump, for his part, signaled limits to his support, telling reporters that he would not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank—a move some in Netanyahu’s coalition have advocated.
Palestinian voices, meanwhile, responded with exhaustion and resilience. In Wadi Gaza, displaced resident Moneir Talib told AP, "Whether he likes it or not, sooner or later, the Palestinian people will gain independence." Another, Amjad Abdel Daiym, said, "We are psychologically, physically, morally and financially tired from everything.... When he says that he wants to continue the war to eradicate Hamas members, or Hamas movement or the Hamas government, I only see that the war is continuing against poor people like us." Hamas accused Netanyahu of "making false justifications to continue the war," stating, "If he were truly concerned about his captives, he would have stopped his brutal bombardment, genocidal massacres and the destruction of Gaza City. Instead, he lies and continues to endanger their lives."
Netanyahu’s address came just one day after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas spoke to the General Assembly via video, welcoming the recent recognitions of Palestinian statehood but urging the world to do more. The Palestinian Authority, led by Abbas, administers parts of the West Bank, which, along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, are seen as the core of a future Palestinian state—a vision Netanyahu adamantly opposes.
As Netanyahu’s speech drew to a close, the sense of a world at a crossroads was palpable. The diplomatic landscape has shifted, with more than 150 countries now recognizing a Palestinian state, and Israel’s traditional alliances strained as never before. Yet, for Netanyahu, the path forward remains one of resistance and resolve, even as the cost of that stance—for Israelis, Palestinians, and the broader region—continues to rise.