The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly turned into a battleground on September 24 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium in New York City. He used the platform to repudiate accusations that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide labeling those claims “the biggest lie of the century.” His remarks arrived amid a war that began on October 7, 2023, and a ceasefire announced on October 3, 2025 that has failed to halt hostilities.
Netanyahu’s speech was marked by a cascade of confrontations. He dismissed the United Nations delegates who exited the chamber as “moral cowards” and accused New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, of antisemitism after the mayor called him a war criminal and urged action on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. The Israeli leader also defended a recent joint strike against Iran, describing it as “one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make” and warning that inaction would have left “all of us dead.”
Celebrity protestors detained outside the UN
While Netanyahu delivered his address inside the General Assembly hall, a separate drama unfolded on the plaza steps. A group of 29 activists, many of them well-known entertainers, gathered to denounce Israeli policy and demand an end to U.S. military aid. Among those arrested were actress Susan Sarandon who had recently been blacklisted by Hollywood agencies, and Hannah Einbinder of The Hacks who posted an Instagram story urging followers to remember that “genocide is the headline, and it is time for it to end.”
Other notable participants included musicians Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker of boygenius comedian Mary Beth Barone, SNL alum Sarah Sherman, and actor-comedian Caleb Hearon. The protest also attracted singers Hayley Williams, Melissa Barrera, and rapper Macklemore, as well as creator Miss Rachel and Katie Gavin of the band MUNA. Their presence underscored a growing trend of public figures leveraging celebrity clout to spotlight the Palestinian cause, even at the risk of arrest.
Reactions from world leaders and the Palestinian side
Netanyahu’s rhetoric provoked a wave of criticism from multiple quarters. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the Israeli response as an “onslaught on Palestinians in Gaza,” while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the situation “the most inhumane, most shameful concentration camp of our time.” Jordan’s King Abdullah II labeled Israel a “regional threat” operating with “terrifying levels” of impunity.
On the Palestinian side, President Mahmoud Abbas was forced to address the assembly via a prerecorded video after the United States denied him a visa for a second consecutive year. In his message, Abbas described the Gaza conflict as a “genocidal war that has created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” and reiterated the call for a two-state solution that respects human rights and security for both peoples.
The assembly also heard from Yemen’s Vice President Abdullah Abdulkader al-Alimi-Bawzer, who warned that Houthi advances in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait threaten 12% of global trade. The layered set of statements highlighted how the Gaza war intertwines with broader regional tensions, from the Iran-Israel confrontation to the maritime risks facing Gulf economies.
Netanyahu’s appearance marked his 15th address to the General Assembly and came just days before Israel’s upcoming national election. With international scrutiny intensifying, the Israeli leader’s combative stance, coupled with the high-profile arrests outside the UN, illustrates a pivotal moment where diplomatic theater and street activism collide on the world stage.
