New York, Sept 24/ (dpa/GNA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, gave a fiery speech, justifying his country’s activities in the Middle East at the UN General Debate on Thursday, despite protests outside the building and a walk-out by diplomats.
“Devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard. It was very hard to do,” said Netanyahu, defending the attacks. “But for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as prime minister because, if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead.”
His comments come despite the unclassified annual report by the US intelligence services, which states there was no indication of a political decision in Iran to build a nuclear bomb.
He thanked the US and emphasized Israel’s strength, saying his army was fighting “on seven fronts.”
Netanyahu dismissed allegations of genocide in Gaza, calling this “the greatest lie of the century.” “Israel didn’t commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide,” he said, insisting that if not prevented by Israel, Hamas “would have killed every last one of us.”
Netanyahu also slammed Zohran Mamdani, calling him the “anti-Semitic mayor of New York.” “Since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York,” he said. “You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me. You can’t silence the truth.”
The Israeli prime minister was confident that the Islamic Republic would eventually crumble. “We are not afraid, but I’ll tell you who is afraid: the tyrants of Tehran. That’s who, and you know what they’re most afraid of: their own people, the brave Iranian people, who have sacrificed so much for so long,” he said. “I want you to listen to my words carefully. One day, and it may not be far away, the Iranian people will be free. Their murderous regime will be toppled by its lies, by its corruption, by its cruelty.”
Ahead of the speech, numerous representatives left the chamber and there were also protests against Netanyahu outside the building. He slammed the protests at the start and end of his speech. Addressing protesters and the “hypocritical diplomats” who left the chamber, he referred to repression in Iran. “Where were you? Did you protest that? Did you speak about that? You said nothing about Iran,” he said. “But despite your silence, in Iran, something incredible will happen,” Netanyahu said. “The power of the people will overcome the people in power one day, the Iranian people will be free.”
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through Manhattan, demonstrating against Netanyahu’s actions in the Gaza war to coincide with his participation in the UN General Debate.
Not far from there, a small group of pro-Israeli demonstrators had also gathered. Several people were taken into custody during the demonstrations outside the UN, said a spokesman for the NYPD. According to media reports, these included the actresses Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder. The NYPD initially declined to confirm the names, while the actresses’ management teams did not initially respond to enquiries.
Photographs show Sarandon surrounded by police officers, with her T-shirt bearing the slogan “Fund People, Not Bombs.”
Actress Cynthia Nixon, known from “Sex and the City”, was also present at the demonstration. However, sources close to her stated that she had not been taken into custody. Media had reported that she had been led away.
The police said demonstrators blocked a junction by sitting down during an unannounced protest a few blocks away. They had been warned several times to disperse, and when they failed to do so, “several people” were taken into custody.
Ahead of his speech, some Israeli media reported that Netanyahu would focus his comments at a domestic audience, as Israel prepares for parliamentary elections on October 27.
GNA