1 month ago
Last Updated: September 28, 2024, 16:16 IST
New York, United States of America (USA)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US. (Image: REUTERS)
Netanyahu brands Iran as the main conflict source, displaying maps that label regions as "The Curse" and "The Blessing," including Palestinian territories.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday sought to frame Iran as the primary source of conflict in the Middle East when he delivered his first address at the United Nations since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Demonstrating two maps, he contrasted the “blessing” of development for Israel and its “Arab partners” with the “curse” of Iran’s influence in the region, warning that “Iran seeks to impose its radicalism beyond the Middle East and threatens the entire world.” The world should “join Israel in stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons”, he said, calling on the UN to “snap back” sanctions against Iran.
Curse Vs Blessing
The map labelled “The Curse,” held in Netanyahu’s right hand, included Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, all shaded in black. Another map marked “The Blessing” featured countries like Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and India in green. Netanyahu emphasised that the world must choose between these two groups as tensions escalated in the region, particularly with ongoing Israeli bombardments of Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.
During his speech, Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Tehran, saying, “If you strike us, we will strike you,” asserting that no part of Iran was beyond Israel’s reach. The speech also included a direct message to Palestinians. Netanyahu called for an end to what he termed “Jew-hatred” and urged them to accept Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. The address came amid heightened military actions by Israel against Hezbollah and a backdrop of international protests against its operations.
Notably, several leaders and diplomats walked out during Netanyahu’s UN speech as a protest against the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, where over 42,252 people have died amid the conflict. Escalating violence in Lebanon, which has seen numerous attacks on Hezbollah in the past few days, contributed to the diplomats’ decision to leave as Netanyahu began his address, Daily Mail reported.
Videos shared on social media captured the scene of delegates exiting the hall while Netanyahu continued speaking from the podium. When Netanyahu entered the hall and was introduced, boos and raised voices echoed, and many delegates walked out through various exits. Besides this, the Israeli PM also faced anti-war protests near the UN headquarters in New York, with demonstrators expressing their opposition to the war in Gaza.
