Overview
- Dozens of UN delegations stood and left the General Assembly hall before Benjamin Netanjahu spoke on Thursday, leaving many seats empty and prompting jeers and applause from those who stayed.
- In a long, combative address Netanjahu rejected genocide claims, defended strikes on Iran and Gaza operations, and singled out New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani by calling him antisemitic.
- Large pro‑Palestine demonstrations around the UN in Manhattan led to multiple arrests reported by the NYPD, and media outlets said high‑profile activists including Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder were taken into custody.
- Netanjahu’s visit was brief—he flew to New York for the UN appearance and returned to Israel shortly after—and his movements remain constrained by an active International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a prerecorded UN address accusing Israel of a 'genocidal war' after being denied a U.S. visa, underscoring how the UN week has amplified competing narratives and sharpened international divisions.