A defiant Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an uncompromising address to the UN General Assembly on September 26, declaring Israel's determination to continue its Gaza campaign. His appearance was met by a mass walkout of delegates.

Multiple delegations abandoned the assembly hall even before Netanyahu began speaking, highlighting Israel's deepening diplomatic isolation. During his remarks, shouting echoed through the chamber, though some sections of the audience, including the Israeli and US delegations, applauded. Other backers of Israel at the UN gathering have included the Solomon Islands and Czechia. 

Israel's offensive has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians in Gaza and displaced 90% of its population. Increasing numbers are facing starvation, aid agencies say. A UN report recently concluded that Israel is conducting "genocide". Netanyahu roundly rejected the claim. 

The Israeli PM held up a regional map, with the title "THE CURSE", and drew on it with a large marker. He wore a special lapel pin remembering the hostages held by Hamas with a QR code that directs to a site about the October 7 atrocity. Members of his delegation wore identical pins.

A second prop was in the form of a "pop quiz", during which Netanyahu asked the remaining delegates, "Who shouts 'death to America'?" and observed tht "our enemies hate all of us". Western countries "are fighting an Islamist surge", he said.

He claimed that European leaders who publicly condemn Israel, "praise" the country in private. 

"Anti-semitism dies hard. In fact, it doesn't die at all," Netanyahu said, accusing his critics of routine anti-semitism, and attempting to publicly shame the countries that have backed a Palestinian state. 

In part of the speech, Netanyahu switched to Hebrew. He said IDF soldiers were broadcasting his speech from southern Israel into Gaza on loudspeakers. 

Netanyahu faces international isolation, war crimes accusations from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and growing pressure to end the conflict. Most recently, Australia, Canada, France and the UK have been among the countries stating their recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

The European Union is considering hitting Israel with tariffs and sanctions. To get to the UN summit, Netanyahu had to fly a circuitous route to avoid arrest in Europe.

Netanyahu's appearance in the UN chamber was followed by that of Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who criticised international institutions for creating large debt traps for developing countries.