Israel’s prime minister told the U.N. General Assembly Friday that Israel is “winning” in its fight against terrorists and their patrons in Iran who perpetrated the October 7 terror attacks on his country.
“I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran,” Benjamin Netanyahu said. “If you strike us, we will strike you. “There is no place — there is no place — in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach. And that's true of the entire Middle East.”
He said Israel’s soldiers have fought with “incredible courage and with heroic sacrifice” for the past 11 months.
“And I have another message for this assembly and for the world outside this hall: We are winning,” said Netanyahu.
The Israeli prime minister took the stage to a mix of boos and cheers from the gallery, where some visitors are permitted. A stream of diplomats rose from their seats and left the hall as he strode onto the stage.
But Netanyahu was not fazed.
He said Hamas must go, and he would not accept their participation in any post-war Gaza governing structure.
“Just imagine, for those who say, well, Hamas has to stay, it has to be part of a post-war Gaza. Imagine in a post-war situation in World War II. Imagine allowing the defeated Nazis in 1945 to rebuild Germany,” he told the U.N. General Assembly. “It's inconceivable. It's ridiculous. It didn't happen then, it's not going to happen now.”
Lebanon escalation
Turning to Lebanon, where there has been a dangerous and deadly escalation between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters in the past week, Netanyahu said Israel must also defeat them so thousands of Israeli citizens can return to their homes in northern Israel.
“I've come here today to say enough is enough!” he said. “We won’t rest until our citizens can return safely to their homes. We will not accept a terror army perched on our northern border able to perpetrate another October 7-style massacre.”
Shortly after Netanyahu spoke, the Israel Defense Forces hit what they said is Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs. At least six buildings were flattened. The fate of Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was not immediately clear.
Arab ministers at the U.N. condemned the escalation, saying it is pushing the region closer to a full-scale war.
"It is time to face the truth, and the truth is unless Netanyahu is stopped, unless this government is stopped, war will encompass all of us," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told reporters.
"We need this cease-fire now," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said of an American and French proposal for a 21-day truce to calm the situation in Lebanon.
"We cannot afford endless negotiations, as we have on Gaza," Guterres said. "We must avoid a regional war at all costs."
Talk of peace
Despite his hard line, the Israeli prime minister told the General Assembly that his government wants peace. He did not, however, refer to the American and French cease-fire proposal for Lebanon or one for Gaza, or a two-state solution.
Instead, he pointed to the success of the 2020 Trump-brokered Abraham Accords that led to normalization of relations with the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan. While landmark agreements, they are all nations Israel has never fought a war with.
Netanyahu said he still hopes to achieve normalization with Saudi Arabia, which had been a real possibility before the October 7 attacks.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters that a Palestinian state is the key to normalization between Israel and Arab states, including his own.
"And that will indeed open up the horizon, not just for normalization, but also for integration, for cooperation," he said. "It offers huge potential for all of us in the region, but again, without addressing the issue of the Palestinians, this is not going to happen."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the assembly the day before Netanyahu and called for an end to his people’s suffering.
Shortly before Netanyahu spoke on Friday, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob called on the Israeli leader to end the suffering in Gaza.
"I want to say this out loud and clear to the Israeli government: Stop the bloodshed! Stop the suffering! Bring the hostages home and end the occupation!" Golob said to loud applause in the General Assembly hall.
"Mr. Netanyahu, stop this war now!" he said, slamming his hand on the podium.
