Journalists and critics of the "global pariah"
shared photos and videos of people filing out of the hall before Netanyahu's
address—which came just a day after 25 anti-genocide protesters were arrested for
blocking his motorcade in Manhattan.
While there was some audience applause from the sparsely
populated room on Friday, Al Jazeera Arabic's Rami Ayari explained that
the people you hear cheering the PM during the speech are in the gallery who he
brought for that purpose.
Council on American-Islamic Relations national executive
director Nihad Awad said in a statement that as the far-right, openly racist
Israeli government continues its genocide in Gaza and expands its campaign of
state terrorism to civilians in Lebanon, this mass walkout during war criminal
Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech demonstrates the international community's
rejection of genocide.
Awad added that US President Joe Biden should take note of
our government's growing isolation on the international stage, change his
policy, and support human rights and international law, without an exception
for the Palestinian people.
Since Israeli forces launched their assault on Gaza in
retaliation for the Hamas-led October 07 attack, the United States government
has stood by Israel, sending billions of dollars in weapons and opposing
UN resolutions, while claiming to be pushing for a cease-fire.
Addressing the General Assembly earlier this week,
Biden called for "security for Israel, and Gaza free of Hamas'
grip."
In response to diplomats' Friday walkout, Trita Parsi,
executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
said, "The impunity Biden has offered Israel has been used by Netanyahu to
make Israel an international pariah. Neither good for the US nor for Israel."
Parsi also highlighted a clip of Slovenian Prime Minister
Robert Golob's speech to the UN, in which he urged Netanyahu to "stop this
war now!"
Netanyahu began his Friday address by taking aim at the
world leaders who throughout the week have condemned the recent escalation
against Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as the past year of Israeli forces bombing
and starving Palestinians in Gaza.
"I didn't intend to come here this year. My country is
at war fighting for its life," Netanyahu said. "But, after I
heard the lies and slanders leveled at my country by many of the speakers
standing at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record
straight."
Armed with more of his infamous maps of the Middle
East, the right-wing leader went on to claim that "Israel seeks
peace," while also pledging to wage war on Hamas-governed Gaza until
"total victory" and telling "the tyrants of Tehran" that
"if you strike us, we will strike you."
Noting that Netanyahu also spoke of "savage enemies who
seek to destroy our common civilization," James Zogby, co-founder and
president of the Arab American Institute said, "Words spoken by the man
who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. This is a
disgrace. Abusing the General Assembly platform to lie and incite.
Israel faces a South Africa-led genocide case at the
International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court prosecutor
has sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav
Gallant, and three Hamas leaders—one of whom Israel recently assassinated in
Iran. Israel also claims to have killed a second Hamas leader, which the group
has denied.
Courtesy: Common Dreams
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