Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed countries like France, Australia, Canada, and the UK that recognised the State of Palestine last week as the Israel-Hamas war nears three years. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, he blamed Hamas for the starvation in Gaza, where over 65,500 Palestinians have been killed since the war on October 7, 2023.
He called it a “national suicide,” dubbing the act of recognising the State of Palestine as “sheer madness”. “It’s insane and we won’t do it”, the Israeli PM said.
“Israel must finish the job against Hamas in Gaza,” he said, as dozens walked out of the assembly hall and many protested outside the UN headquarters in New York.
Addressing the families of hostages, Netanyahu said, “We have not forgotten you,” and vowed that Israel will not rest “until we bring all of you home”.
He called on the “remaining” leaders of Hamas to lay down the weapons. “Let my people go” and “free the hostages,” he said, threatening, “If you do you will live, if you don’t, Israel will hunt you down.” He then targeted Iran as he took out placards. The first read: “Who shouts death to America?”, with the answers reading: “a) Iran, b) Hamas, c) Hezbollah, d) Houthis, e) all the above”.
Shouts could be heard in the hall, and Netanyahu ticks the option for “e) all of the above”.
The Israeli PM also talked about accusations that Israel is “deliberately targeting civilians” in Gaza, saying, “The opposite is true.” He asserted that Israel has dropped “millions of leaflets and sent millions of texts” to get civilians to evacuate Gaza City.
Meanwhile, “Hamas implants itself in mosques, schools, hospitals, apartment buildings” he said, to force civilians to “stay in harm’s way” – “often threatening them at gunpoint”. Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel is starving people in Gaza on purpose, blaming Hamas for stealing, hoarding, and selling the supplies, for shortage of food among Gazans.
