Skip to content After another warning, officers began detaining protesters at around 1 p.m.
During his address Thursday, Netanyahu’s remarks prompted polarized reaction, with a large number of diplomats walking out of the room. The Israeli leader defended Israel’s military actions in Gaza and responded to international criticism, claiming if he hadn’t attacked Iran, “We’d all be dead.”
Last year, an independent UN inquiry found that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out deadly attacks on Israel and Israel launched its military campaign. The Israeli government has maintained it is conducting the war in Gaza in self-defense and in accordance with international law, firmly denying accusations of genocide.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Galland and a senior Hamas official, accusing them of war crimes. Netanyahu has dismissed the warrant as “absurd” and “antisemitic.” (The US is not a member of the ICC)
After Netanyahu’s remarks, hundreds of protesters also marched through the streets of New York with some chanting “Free Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “Netanyahu, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide.”
