Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a forceful address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, defending Israel’s military operations in Gaza and its campaign against Iran, while sharply criticizing his detractors both internationally and domestically.

Speaking before the assembly in New York, Netanyahu characterized the conflicts as battles against “barbarians” and accused critics of hypocrisy and moral cowardice. Directing remarks at protesters gathered outside the U.N. headquarters, he questioned why they had not protested against the Iranian regime’s violent repression of demonstrations in Tehran earlier this year, suggesting they selectively target Israel. Netanyahu also singled out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, condemning his past calls to arrest the Israeli leader and accusing him of spreading falsehoods about Israel’s military and its soldiers.

Netanyahu’s speech came just hours after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas delivered a prerecorded message urging the international community to restrain Israel’s actions and support a two-state solution. Abbas described Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank as a “malicious colonial scheme” aimed at displacing Palestinians, warning that ongoing policies now threaten the Palestinians’ very existence in their homeland. The Palestinian leader, excluded from the U.S. on visa grounds for the second consecutive year, called for a democratic, nonmilitarized Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel.

Inside the General Assembly hall, Netanyahu’s address was met by boos and walkouts from many diplomats, while supporters chanted slogans affirming Israeli resilience. During the speech, Netanyahu detailed the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli civilians, which killed around 1,200 people and involved the abduction of about 250 hostages, describing the violence as carried out “with fiendish glee.” He rejected accusations of genocide against Israel in Gaza, pointing to humanitarian aid such as polio vaccinations and the provision of food to Gaza’s population amid the conflict.

Since the Hamas attack, Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in significant casualties and widespread destruction, with Gaza health officials reporting over 70,000 deaths. These actions have drawn international condemnation, including from a U.N. commission and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes, alongside a warrant for Hamas leader Muhammad Deif, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Netanyahu used the platform to underscore Israel’s ongoing campaign against Iran and its regional allied militias. He described the decision to act militarily against Iran’s nuclear ambitions, in coordination with the United States, as straightforward and essential for survival. He portrayed the conflict as a fight not only for Israel’s security but for the preservation of civilization itself, pledging to continue the campaign despite its costs.

Outside the U.N., protests against Netanyahu’s presence included hundreds of demonstrators chanting slogans such as “Netanyahu go to hell” and wearing messages opposing military funding in favor of humanitarian support for Palestinians.

With Israel’s political future uncertain amid a challenging upcoming election, analysts noted Netanyahu’s speech was partly aimed at mobilizing his domestic base by emphasizing existential threats and framing Israel’s actions as defensive and justified in the face of violent opposition. The deep divisions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighted by the dueling speeches, reflect ongoing tensions at the U.N. and the international community at large.