In his speech before the nearly empty United Nations General Assembly, due to the departure of the vast majority of delegations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a disjointed address, charged with political and religious symbolism, focusing on the narrative of security and existential threat, amid the ongoing Israeli genocide against Gaza and the rising international isolation of Israel. Netanyahu opened his speech by reminding the audience of the October 7 attack, claiming that the world has forgotten it while Israel continues to live with its repercussions, which was a clear attempt to reframe the ongoing conflict as a necessary war for survival rather than just a military operation.
Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes he has committed, emphasized the need to "complete the mission in Gaza as quickly as possible," indicating the Israeli occupation army's determination to continue killing Palestinian civilians, sending a direct message to Hamas: "If you surrender your weapons and release the hostages, you will stay alive. If you do not, you will be hunted down," in an escalatory tone (accompanied by loudspeakers broadcasting messages into Gaza), in a performative style not directed at the international community, but at the Palestinians in the devastated and starved Gaza Strip by the occupation army.
Netanyahu – wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes – used maps and visual symbolism to highlight his vision of Greater Israel (across the entire Middle East), framing the conflict as a struggle between the "camp of good" led by Israel and the "camp of evil" led by Iran, in an attempt to garner global support that has largely slipped from Netanyahu's grasp. However, he almost entirely ignored the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, merely justifying military operations as "self-defense," which many interpreted as a denial of civilian suffering and an evasion of international accountability.
It is also noteworthy that Netanyahu strongly attacked international institutions, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, accusing them of bias against Israel. This strategy aims to undermine the legitimacy of any future investigations that may target the Israeli occupation army or government, and works to diplomatically shield Israel from increasing pressures.
Despite his references to "regional peace" through the so-called Abraham Accords, he did not present any realistic vision for the future of Palestinians after the war, completely ignoring any discussion of a Palestinian state or civil governance in Gaza. Thus, it seems that his speech is based on a policy of imposing facts on the ground rather than offering a comprehensive political solution.
Netanyahu's speech before the United Nations General Assembly, which appeared almost devoid of attendees, clearly reflected the increasing international isolation that Israel faces amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The scene of delegations leaving the hall during his speech was not merely symbolic, but carried a strong political significance of rising rejection of Israeli policies, especially with the increasing calls for international accountability. The speech did not present any openness to a political solution, but rather entrenched the rhetoric of persistent crime and justification for it.
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Netanyahu delivers his speech at the General Assembly in front of an empty hall, repeating claims that have been proven false.