{
  "id": 9632379,
  "title": "Netanyahu defends Israeli military actions in Middle East in UN speech",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/netanyahu-defends-israeli-military-actions-in-middle-east-in-un-speech-9632379",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T21:21:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3y0z7kxlegdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, vigorously defending Israel's military actions in Iran, Gaza, and other regions within the Middle East. Many attendees walked out in protest, but Netanyahu declared, \"We're going to win. We have no other choice.\" He responded to the walkout by accusing others of moral cowardice, stating, \"If there are any other moral cowards who haven't left the hall, please do so now.\"\n\nNetanyahu also dismissed claims that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. In a pre-recorded message, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas criticized Israel's policies, specifically the illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank, saying they threatened the \"very life and existence of the Palestinian people on their homeland.\" He accused Israel of causing \"killing, destruction, starvation, and attempts at displacement,\" as well as a genocidal war in Gaza. Abbas made the address via video link due to being denied a US entry visa.\n\nNetanyahu retaliated against nations and leaders who criticized him, labeling British and French individuals as colonialists and accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of supporting the Palestinian group Hamas. He also criticized New York City's left-wing mayor Zohran Mamdani, claiming that since Mamdani's election, many Jews felt unsafe in the city. Mamdani's office dismissed the accusations, stating that Netanyahu was spreading baseless lies to justify his actions.\n\nNetanyahu praised US President Donald Trump for his \"bold leadership\" following the US-Israel joint air strikes against Tehran in February, asserting that the strikes protected both Israel and \"civilisation.\" During the speech, several protestors were detained, including Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and Emmy-winning actress Hannah Einbinder. The Israeli military initiated a ground offensive in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, resulting in over 73,920 deaths, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. The International Association of Genocide Scholars declared Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide last year, but Israel maintains that its actions are justified as self-defense.",
  "summary": "Dozens of delegates walked out in protest as he took the podium, with the Israeli leader labelling them \"moral cowards\".",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Delegates walk out as Netanyahu touts Iran war, slams Qatar and Turkey at UN",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/delegates-walk-out-as-netanyahu-touts-iran-war-slams-qatar-and-turkey",
        "published": "2026-09-24T19:14:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Delegates walk out of Netanyahu’s UN speech",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/delegates-walk-out-of-netanyahus-un-speech",
        "published": "2026-09-24T19:18:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Israel’s Netanyahu denounces enemies and allies in UN speech as envoys walk out of chamber (VIDEO)",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/israels-netanyahu-denounces-enemies-and-allies-in-un-speech-as-envoys",
        "published": "2026-09-24T20:00:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Netanyahu denounces enemies, allies in fiery UN speech",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/netanyahu-denounces-enemies-allies-in-fiery-un-speech",
        "published": "2026-09-24T20:12:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Haaretz",
        "title": "Netanyahu in UN speech downplays Israeli settler violence, rebuts Gaza genocide claim",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/netanyahu-in-un-speech-downplays-israeli-settler-violence-rebuts-gaza",
        "published": "2026-09-24T20:20:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "In fiery UN speech, Netanyahu blasts Iran, Qatar, Turkey, slams Gaza genocide accusation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/in-fiery-un-speech-netanyahu-blasts-iran-qatar-turkey-slams-gaza",
        "published": "2026-09-24T20:53:34.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "Netanyahu defends Israeli military actions in Middle East in UN speech",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/netanyahu-defends-israeli-military-actions-in-middle-east-in-un-speech",
        "published": "2026-09-24T21:21:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "What did Benjamin Netanyahu say about Hasan Piker? Israeli PM links streamer to Zohran Mamdani at UNGA speech",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/what-did-benjamin-netanyahu-say-about-hasan-piker-israeli-pm-links",
        "published": "2026-09-24T21:46:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Hamas denounces Netanyahu’s speech as ‘rife with lies’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/hamas-denounces-netanyahus-speech-as-rife-with-lies",
        "published": "2026-09-24T21:54:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}