Benjamin Netanyahu Calls Gaza Genocide Claims the Biggest Lie of the Century at UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called allegations of genocide in Gaza the biggest lie of the century during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Scores of delegates walked out of the hall before he began speaking, leaving a majority of seats empty. UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman repeatedly called for order as cheers, boos, and mass walkouts occurred when Mr. Netanyahu took the rostrum. Before the speech, the Palestinian Mission to the UN had urged member nations to bring staff and collectively walk out to protest Israel's actions. Mr. Netanyahu labeled the delegates who left as moral cowards and stated that attacking Iran was one of his easiest decisions. He claimed that many world leaders privately thank Israel for taking out Iran's nukes and thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for taking decisive action against Iran. During his address, Mr. Netanyahu held up a pager to reference the September 17, 2024 attack where thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah in Lebanon were remotely detonated, killing 12 people and wounding over 3,000. He also referenced the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also addressed the assembly via prerecorded video after the U.S. denied visas to top Palestinian officials for the second consecutive year, demanding tangible international action and protection for Palestinians.