BS BULLETIN:
- Dozens of delegates streamed out of the U.N. General Assembly as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stage Thursday.
- Netanyahu immediately invited any remaining “moral cowards” who wanted to leave to do so.
- He then accused critics of hypocrisy over Iran and thanked President Trump for partnering with Israel against Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t exactly beg the audience to come back.
Dozens of delegates streamed out of the United Nations General Assembly Thursday as Netanyahu approached the podium, leaving large sections of the chamber empty.
Chants could also be heard as the president of the General Assembly attempted to bring the room to order.
Netanyahu watched it happen.
Then he opened his speech with an invitation.
“Before I begin, just a quick announcement, if there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now.”
Cheers erupted among some of the delegates who remained.
Netanyahu quickly turned from the walkout to Israel’s war with Iran.
He called Israel’s decision to attack Iranian nuclear facilities difficult to execute but “one of the easiest decisions” he had made as prime minister, arguing that Iran’s nuclear program represented an existential threat.
Then he went after the countries whose representatives had just walked out.
Netanyahu said Israel was defending some of those very nations from Iran and claimed leaders had privately thanked Israel for its actions against Tehran’s nuclear program.
He called their public response “mind blowing hypocrisy.”
Netanyahu’s appearance came amid continuing international criticism of Israel’s military actions in the region. Demonstrators also gathered outside the United Nations during his appearance.
But Netanyahu wasn’t interested in softening his message.
He described Israel as having fought a “seven front war” involving Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran and Iranian-backed forces and militants elsewhere in the region.
Then he challenged the protesters and delegates who had left the chamber over their response to Iran’s treatment of its own people.
“Where were you?” Netanyahu asked, accusing them of failing to demonstrate comparable outrage over Iranians killed or injured by their own government.
He called them “phony human rights protesters.”
Netanyahu also singled out President Donald Trump for praise.
“In this battle against the barbarians, we’ve had no greater partner than President Trump,” Netanyahu said.
He thanked Trump for U.S. military action against Iran and argued that the two countries had acted together against a threat to both nations.
Netanyahu wasn’t finished picking fights.
He called hostile media and social-media narratives an “eighth front” in Israel’s war and directly addressed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has been sharply critical of Netanyahu and Israel.
“Mr. Mamdani, you try to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me,” Netanyahu said.
“You can’t silence me. You can’t silence the truth.”
Whatever the departing delegates intended to communicate with their walkout, Netanyahu made sure it became part of his speech.
They walked.
He waved them toward the door.
Then he kept talking.
DBS WIRE SOURCES:
- Fox News — Mass walkout before Netanyahu speech prompts fiery response
- Fox News Video — U.N. General Assembly empties as Netanyahu gives address
- Fox News Video — Netanyahu vows to defeat Iran at UNGA
- Fox News Video — Netanyahu slams Mayor Mamdani during U.N. speech
