“Devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard…” Mr. Netanyahu stated. “But for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as Prime Minister. Because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead.”

Many delegations left the General Assembly Hall as the Prime Minister took the podium, just hours after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who addressed the gathering via video after being denied a visa to enter the United States.

It has been nearly three years since the 7 October attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, which led, according to Israeli sources, to the death of over 1,200 Israelis, the abduction of 251 hostages, and the subsequent launch of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. Those operations have resulted in the death of over 73,000 Palestinians according to Gaza health authorities, with many thousands missing under rubble.

Rejecting accusations that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, Mr. Netanyahu said the Government’s actions there sought to defeat Hamas while protecting civilians. “Here’s the simple truth. Israel didn’t commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide.”

He noted that Israel had sought to reduce civilian casualties through evacuation warnings, phone calls and leaflets and had facilitated large quantities of humanitarian aid and vaccinations.

“What genocidal regime gives a million polio vaccinations to the enemy’s population? What genocidal regime enables the distribution of two million tons of food into Gaza? That’s a ton for every person.”

The Prime Minister also refuted the reports of settler violence in the West Bank, referring to what’s occurring there as the work of “a handful of juvenile delinquents”, adding that the number of resulting casualties is maybe two or three a year.

Disinformation ‘eighth front’ in Israel’s war

Mr. Netanyahu noted that, for the past three years, Israel has been fighting on seven fronts – “Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, militias in Iraq, militias in Syria, Palestinian terrorists in Judea and Samaria.”

Citing an “eighth front” in Israel’s war for survival, Mr. Netanyahu accused international media, social media and several governments of spreading anti-Israel and antisemitic narratives, singling out Qatar and Türkiye.

“Tyrants the world over seek to threaten us. They seek to undermine our resolve with their campaign of lies,” he stated. “But ultimately, as on the military battlefield, the Jewish people will prevail.”

Mr. Netanyahu also criticized Western governments that have challenged Israeli policies and argued that many countries were applying a double standard to Israel.

He also took a swipe at the Mayor of New York City, claiming that Jews no longer felt safe there since Zohran Mamdani took office.

“Mr. Mamdani, you tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me. You can’t silence the truth.