Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, delivering a combative speech defending Israel’s wars in Gaza and against Iran as a 'battle against barbarians.' He sharply criticized Israel’s critics, calling them 'phony human rights protesters' and 'moral cowards,' questioning their absence during Iranian crackdowns on protesters in Tehran in January. Netanyahu directly targeted Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York, the city’s first Muslim leader, who has labeled him a 'war criminal,' saying, 'Shame on you!' to those spreading 'lies' about Israel and its soldiers. He also condemned Western European leaders and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey for 'succumbing to the antisemitic mob.' The speech came hours after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas delivered a recorded video address, barred from attending due to a U.S. visa denial, condemning Israeli actions as a 'malicious colonial scheme' and urging a two-state solution.

Abbas’s absence marked the second year the Trump administration blocked his travel to New York. Netanyahu was met with boos and walkouts, while supporters chanted 'Am Yisrael Chai.' Mamdani responded by accusing Netanyahu of using the UN platform to 'sanitize his genocide of Palestinians,' noting the ongoing ICC arrest warrant for war crimes.