A mass walkout of delegates before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly prompted a fiery response from the Israeli leader.
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walkout → prompt → leader
As Netanyahu took the stage, dozens of delegates from across the globe could be seen streaming out of the chamber in New York City.
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dozens → take → City
Chants of protest could also be heard in the hall as the U.N. president called the assembly to order.
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president → hear → assembly
After taking the stage, Netanyahu said, "Before I begin, just a quick announcement, if there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now," as cheers erupted from the remaining delegates in the chamber.
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cheers → take → chamber
The Israeli leader did not let up for the rest of his address.
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leader → let → address
He began by laying out what he described as the stakes of the conflict in Iran.
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he → begin → Iran
He proclaimed that "devastating Iran's nuclear facilities was hard, it was very hard to do, but for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make as prime minister.
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I → proclaim → minister
Because if we hadn't done it, we'd all be dead."
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we → do → it
"Now, you want to hear the ultimate irony?" he continued.
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he → want → irony
"In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall.
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delegates → defend → hall
In fact, I want you to know that many of the leaders even thanked us privately for taking out Iran's nukes."
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many → want → nukes
"It's hard to imagine more mind blowing hypocrisy, but that's exactly what it is," said Netanyahu.
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Netanyahu → imagine → hypocrisy
The protests came as conflict in the Middle East continued and Israel faced criticism over its actions in the region.
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Israel → come → region
Netanyahu's address drew protests from delegates inside the U.N. chamber and demonstrators outside the building, including Hollywood celebrities Elliot Page and Susan Sarandon.
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address → draw → celebrities
Despite the protests, the prime minister delivered a defiant message, telling critics, "You don't know what you're talking about."
He cast Israel's fight as one for its own survival and the survival of all the world's nations against "barbarians."
"For the past three years, our heroic soldiers have fought day in an day out in a seven front war.
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soldiers → deliver → war
Do you know any other country the size of New Jersey capable of fighting a seven front war?
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you → know → war
And for three years, seven fronts Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, militias in Iraq, militias in Syria, Palestinian terrorists in Judea, Samaria, they all ganged up on us to wipe us off the face of the earth, they failed.
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they → gang → earth
Because instead of collapsing, we delivered crippling blows to all of them, with our great American friends.
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we → collapse → friends
"To the protesters outside, to the hypocritical delegates who left this hall.
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who → leave → hall
I ask, 'Where were you when the Iranian tyrants butchered and maimed tens of thousands of unarmed Iranian civilians?
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tyrants → ask → civilians
When they butchered and maimed thousands of their own people?
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they → butcher → people
Did you organize mass rallies, hunger strikes?
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you → organize → rallies
Did you protest outside the Iranian mission to the UN?
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you → protest → UN
Did you speak out for that matter, for Christians persecuted in Iran and throughout the Middle East?'
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you → speak → East
No, no, you didn't, because you're phony human rights protesters," he said.
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he → do → ?
He also thanked President Donald Trump for ordering U.S. action against Iran.
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He → thank → Iran
"In this battle against the barbarians, we've had no greater partner than President Trump," said Netanyahu.
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Netanyahu → have → Trump
"I thank him.
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I → thank → him
I thank him for his bold leadership.
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I → thank → leadership
He boldly confronted an enormous danger to America, Israel and the world."
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He → confront → America
"He understood that if left unchallenged, the fanatic ayatollahs who chant, 'Death to America, death to Israel,' would eventually carry out their mad fantasies.
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who → understand → fantasies
So, Israel and America acted together not only to protect ourselves, but to save civilization," he said.
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he → act → civilization
Netanyahu also criticized detractors in what he called "the eigth front in this war," which he said is "the war for truth."
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he → criticize → truth
He said that this "war" is "waged in the world's media and most perniciously, in social media."
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war → say → media
Turning to criticism from U.S. figures, Netanyahu called out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a socialist, whom he called "anti-semitic," as well as influencer Hasan Piker.
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he → turn → whom
Addressing Mamdani directly, Netanyahu said, "Mr. Mamdani, you try to stop me from coming here.
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you → address → me
You tried to silence me.
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You → try → me
Well, you can't silence me.
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you → silence → me
You can't silence the truth."
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You → silence → truth