In his first speech to the UN since the start of the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday attempted to portray Iran as the main cause of strife in the Middle East.
He displayed two maps and warned that “Iran seeks to impose its radicalism beyond the Middle East and threatens the entire world,” contrasting the “curse” of Iran’s influence in the area with the “blessing” of progress for Israel and its “Arab partners.” “Join Israel in stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons,” he declared, urging the UN to “snap back” sanctions on the country.
Holding a black-shaded map titled “The Curse,” Netanyahu’s right hand displayed Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. Other countries including Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and India were highlighted in green on a map titled “The Blessing.” Tensions in the region were rising, he emphasized, especially because of the continuous Israeli assault of Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. The world had to make a decision between these two parties.
Netanyahu warned Tehran during his speech that no area of Iran was safe from Israeli attack, threatening to strike back if they struck. There was a clear message for Palestinians in the speech as well. Netanyahu urged people to embrace Israel’s existence as a Jewish state and demanded an end to what he called “Jew-hatred.” The speech was given in the midst of international outcry against Hezbollah’s activities and increased military activity by Israel against the organization.
Notably, during Netanyahu’s UN speech, a number of dignitaries and leaders left the room in protest of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 42,252 people. The decision of the ambassadors to go as Netanyahu started his speech was influenced by the rising violence in Lebanon, which has seen multiple attacks on Hezbollah in recent days, according to Daily Mail.
Videos that went viral on social media showed the delegates leaving the hall while Netanyahu kept talking at the platform. Boos and shouted shouts resounded when Netanyahu entered the hall and was introduced, and numerous delegates left through different exits. In addition, the Israeli prime minister encountered anti-war protesters who voiced their objections to the war in Gaza outside the UN building in New York.
