Netanyahu speech draws international backlash
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly, accusing him of using the platform to repeat what Mamdani described as false claims about Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
Mamdani said Netanyahu’s remarks could not erase the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for the Israeli premier.
“As he has done time and again, Prime Minister Netanyahu used his speech to repeat baseless lies meant to sanitize his genocide of Palestinians,” Mamdani said in a statement, according to local media.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Mamdani has previously called on US federal authorities to enforce the warrant, while acknowledging that New York City authorities do not have the legal power to carry it out.
Protesters gather outside UN
More than 100 demonstrators gathered outside the UN headquarters in New York as Netanyahu addressed the General Assembly, demanding that he face prosecution over alleged war crimes.
Among the protesters was Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon. Demonstrators carried banners calling for an end to Israeli military operations and US arms support for Israel.
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink, told Anadolu that Netanyahu should be in The Hague facing war crimes proceedings rather than addressing the UN.
Several protesters were detained by New York police, including Sarandon and congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, according to reports and social media footage.
At a separate demonstration, Tamara Gayer of Israelis for Peace said Netanyahu should not be given a public platform while the conflict continues.
Ireland warns of failed response
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin told the General Assembly that the international community had failed Palestinians, citing continued violence, restrictions on humanitarian assistance and Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
“We, the collective international community, have failed Palestine,” Martin said.
He warned that settlement expansion was undermining the prospects for a two-state solution and described the developments as a deliberate attempt by some actors to make such a settlement impossible.
Martin also reaffirmed Ireland’s support for the International Criminal Court and said there should be no impunity for war crimes.
Australia calls for wider action
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for stronger international action on Palestine and Iran, while also urging global safeguards for artificial intelligence.
Albanese said Australia would continue to oppose Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and reject any future role for Hamas in Palestine.
On Iran, he called for a ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the restoration of freedom of navigation and trade. He also urged Tehran to halt what he described as indiscriminate attacks in the region and abandon efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.
Albanese also called for reform of the UN system, stronger representation for smaller and middle powers and greater international cooperation on climate change.
Qatar rejects Netanyahu’s claim
Qatar rejected Netanyahu’s accusation that Doha was conducting a campaign to influence global public opinion against Israel.
Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said the allegation was an attempt to divert attention from Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and their humanitarian consequences.
He rejected the suggestion that growing criticism of Israel, particularly among younger people, was primarily the result of organized influence campaigns.
Al-Ansari said Israel should address the policies shaping its international reputation rather than blaming Qatar or other outside actors.
Türkiye condemns Erdogan remarks
Türkiye also criticized Netanyahu for using the UN podium to target President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish government.
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran described Netanyahu’s accusations as baseless and said they were incompatible with the UN’s principles of peace, law and dialogue.
Duran also referred to the ICC arrest warrant and said Netanyahu’s statements could not conceal what Türkiye described as the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza or the legal proceedings against him.
He said Türkiye would continue to support Palestinians and advocate for what Ankara describes as a more just international order and an end to oppression.
Diplomatic pressure widens
Netanyahu’s UN address came amid mounting criticism from political leaders, protesters and governments over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and its policies in the occupied West Bank.
The responses from New York, Ireland, Australia, Qatar and Türkiye reflected different national positions but shared criticism of Israel’s policies and calls for greater international action.
The controversy surrounding Netanyahu’s appearance also extended beyond the General Assembly chamber, with protests in New York and renewed debate over the ICC’s arrest warrant and the international community’s response to the Gaza conflict.
Source:AA
