UNITED NATIONS: PM Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel defended his country’s attacks on its enemies and vowed to continue its campaign to “finish the job” against Hamas in a defiant address to the UN General Assembly on Friday morning. The Israeli PM pushed back in his harshest terms yet against a flurry of diplomatic moves by leading US allies that deepened Israel’s international isolation over war in Gaza. “This week, the leaders of France, Britain, Australia, Canada and other countries unconditionally recognised a Palestinian state,” he said. “They did so after the horrors committed by Hamas on Oct 7 – horrors praised on that day by nearly 90% of the Palestinian population.” Calling it a “mark of shame,” Netanyahu said: “You know what message the leaders who recognise the Palestinian state this week sent to the Palestinians? It’s a very clear message: murdering Jews pays off.” Netanyahu added, “Israel will not allow you to shove a terrorist state down our throats. We will not commit national suicide because you don’t have the guts to face down the hostile media and antisemitic mobs demanding Israel’s blood.”With more countries joining the list of those endorsing Palestinian independence, the most right-wing govt in Israeli history has made its strongest declaration in years that there will be no Palestinian state.Scores of delegates walkout ahead of speech Scores of delegates exited the hall as Netanyahu took the stage while some attendees in the balcony gave him a standing ovation. At the same time, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked traffic near Times Square in New York.“Over time, many world leaders buckled. They buckled under the pressure of a biased media, radical Islamist constituencies and antisemitic mobs. There’s a familiar saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Well, for many countries here, when the going got tough, you caved,” PM said. “Behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us privately thank us. They tell me how much they value Israel’s superb intelligence services that have prevented, time and again, terrorist attacks in their capitals.“Netanyahu addresses hostages from rostrum “Much of the world no longer remembers Oct 7. But we remember,” Netanyahu said. Speaking in Hebrew, the Israeli PM directed his remarks to the hostages still held in Gaza: “We’ve not forgotten you – not even for a second.” Near the start of his speech, Netanyahu said he had loudspeakers placed at the Israeli side of the Gaza border to broadcast the address into the Palestinian enclave in hopes that hostages held there would hear his vow that his government will not rest until they are free. agencies
