NEW YORK, USA – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a defiant address at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, September 26, 2025, denouncing recent international recognition of a Palestinian state as “shameful” and vowing to “finish the job” in Gaza, even as dozens of delegates walked out in protest.
Netanyahu took the podium in New York to a hall marked by empty seats, a reflection of Israel’s mounting diplomatic isolation.
His remarks came amid escalating criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has drawn accusations of war crimes and genocide from rights groups and is under review at the International Court of Justice.
“The final remnants of Hamas are holed up in Gaza City,” Netanyahu said.
“They vow to repeat the atrocities of Oct. 7 again and again and again. This is why Israel must finish the job. Western leaders may have buckled under the pressure, but I guarantee Israel won’t.”
As he spoke, delegates from several countries rose and left the chamber. Those who remained offered a mix of applause, jeers and shouted interruptions.
Netanyahu addressed not only the assembly but also Israeli hostages in Gaza, saying his message was being broadcast into the enclave.
“We have not forgotten you, not even for a second. The people of Israel are with you,” he said.
Turning directly to Hamas fighters, he added, “Lay down your arms. Let my people go. If you do, you will live. If you don’t, Israel will hunt you down.”
The Israeli leader lashed out at European nations, including France and the United Kingdom, that have recently recognised a Palestinian state, calling the move a “disgraceful decision” that would “encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere.
It will be a mark of shame on all of you,” he said.
His speech underscored Israel’s increasingly fraught position on the world stage. Netanyahu’s flight to New York reportedly avoided several countries that might enforce an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
At home, his government is under pressure from families of hostages who accuse him of prolonging the war at the expense of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump, a key ally of Netanyahu, suggested that talks on Gaza could soon yield results.
“I think we have maybe a deal on Gaza,” Trump told reporters shortly after Netanyahu’s address, though he offered no details.
Trump also issued a warning against Israeli annexation of the West Bank, “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. No, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen. There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, barred from travelling to the U.S. after his visa was revoked, addressed the assembly by video.
He accused Israel of waging “a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” in Gaza, while distancing his administration from Hamas.
“Despite all what our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on the 7th of October,” Abbas said, adding that Hamas would “have no role to play in governance” in a postwar Gaza.
The international community remains divided over the conflict.
Netanyahu’s pledge to push forward with the military campaign, coupled with recognition of Palestinian statehood by several countries, signals a widening rift in diplomatic efforts to end the war.
