Netanyahu rejects Gaza genocide charge in U.N. speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday to reject accusations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, defend its military actions and criticize foreign leaders. Delegates walked out as he approached the podium, and most visible seats were empty during his address, according to reports of the proceedings. Netanyahu called the genocide allegation the “biggest lie of the century” and said Israel had prevented genocide. The charge remains disputed. South Africa’s case against Israel is pending before the International Court of Justice, which has ordered provisional measures but has not ruled on whether genocide occurred. A U.N. commission of inquiry concluded in 2025 that Israel had committed genocide, a finding Israel rejected. The prime minister also defended Israel’s strikes on Iran, calling the decision to attack among the easiest he had made in office. He predicted that Iran’s government would fall and praised U.S. President Donald Trump as Israel’s partner. Those were Netanyahu’s claims; his speech did not establish that the Iranian government was near collapse.