Netanyahu's UN speech backfires

Sep 29, 2026

Netanyahu's address to the UN General Assembly drew mass walkouts and a furious backlash, a bad sign for Israel's standing abroad and for the US politicians tied to it.

  • Delegates left the hall as Netanyahu spoke, and he taunted them from the podium as "moral cowards."
  • He insisted the war in Gaza is not genocide and accused critics of flipping victim and aggressor.
  • Critics hit back hard, calling the speech a string of lies and pointing out that Palestinians have no army to fight back with.
  • The charge of antisemitism against critics is landing badly, with many saying the anger is about killing civilians and taking land, not about Jewish people.
  • Frustration is also aimed at Washington for staying locked in behind Netanyahu regardless of public opinion.

Outlook: Israel's diplomatic isolation looks set to deepen, and US support for it will keep drawing heat at home.

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