Dozens of delegates walk out as Netanyahu brands UN genocide accusations 'the biggest lie of the century'
From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.
Andy Burnham addresses the UN General Assembly as the Kremlin accused him of "fostering an atmosphere of total Russophobia" after he announced a new National Centre for Information Defence.
Representatives of roughly 77 nations staged a walkout during Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday as the Israeli prime minister mounted a forceful defence of Israel's actions in Gaza. Netanyahu rejected genocide accusations as "the biggest lie of the century," arguing that Israel had not perpetrated genocide but "prevented" one. He labelled those who left the chamber "moral cowards" and heaped praise on President Donald Trump as Israel's greatest partner.
Netanyahu also attacked New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him the "antisemitic mayor" who "endangers Jewish New Yorkers" by labelling Netanyahu a war criminal.
He ridiculed British and French charges of colonialism, pointing out that those countries had "invented the term" with empires that once "embraced the entire globe."
Netanyahu is behind in polls with Israeli elections fewer than five weeks away, fighting to hold on to power while under an ICC arrest warrant he has publicly pledged to ignore.
