More Than 100 Detained Outside UN as Netanyahu Defends Israel in Speech

Police detained more than 100 people protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside United Nations headquarters as he addressed the General Assembly, according to CNN. Actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder were among those detained, while Reuters reported that politicians also took part in the protest.

Inside the chamber, Netanyahu defended Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and denounced its critics. The New York Times reported that he called Israel’s critics “moral cowards.” According to Al Jazeera, delegates from dozens of countries walked out before his address.

Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, saying the country had done the “opposite of genocide.” He also disputed Western criticism of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and claimed that some leaders had privately thanked Israel for acting against Iran’s nuclear program.

The prime minister directed criticism at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom he accused of antisemitism. Qatar’s deputy chief of mission in Washington, Hamad Al Muftah, said attacking a country involved in regional mediation would not help resolve the conflict. Al Jazeera reported that Turkiye and Mamdani also rejected Netanyahu’s accusations.