DOMINANT ANGLE
Helsinki counters Netanyahu's "biggest lie of the century" with the findings of the UN's own independent commission, which in June reaffirmed the ongoing genocide in Gaza, an accusation the International Court of Justice has yet to rule on.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Netanyahu called the departing delegations "moral cowards" and claimed that Israeli strikes on Iran also protected the countries that left the room (MTV Uutiset)
- 02
Netanyahu denied any genocide in Gaza: "We have conducted countless operations to protect the civilian population [...] This is the exact opposite of a genocide"
- 03
Yle Uutiset recalls that the UN's independent commission concluded in June that Israel is pursuing a genocide in Gaza, while the International Court of Justice has not yet ruled on the South African complaint
ANALYSIS
Helsinki, September 25, 2026. Before the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday evening, Benyamin Netanyahu opened his speech by saying, according to Yle Uutiset: "If there are still cowards here, they can leave now too." A part of the room had already emptied upon his arrival at the podium, in a coordinated movement by the Palestinian mission. The Israeli Prime Minister called the departing delegations "moral cowards", reports MTV Uutiset, which cites the British Guardian for this phrase.
Netanyahu defended his country's military campaign against Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Syria, stating that by protecting itself, Israel was also protecting "many of these countries whose representatives have just left this room". According to him, several leaders had privately thanked him for removing the Iranian nuclear threat, while publicly calling their departure "hypocritical". He also recalled the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, which he described as the worst massacre of Jews since the Shoah, and thanked American President Donald Trump for his support.
On the accusation of genocide, the Israeli head of government was categorical: "We have carried out countless operations to protect the civilian population. Is this a genocide? Of course not. It's the exact opposite of a genocide." He also criticized what he saw as the insufficient support of European countries and attacked New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him a "friend" of Hamas and stating that Jews no longer feel safe in the city. The New York Times had reported this summer that Mamdani had called Netanyahu a war criminal and demanded an international arrest warrant.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied an American visa, spoke through a pre-recorded intervention. Yle Uutiset recalls that several human rights organizations and the independent UN commission have concluded that there is an Israeli genocide in Gaza, the commission having reaffirmed its pursuit in June; the International Court of Justice, seized by South Africa, has not yet ruled on the complaint.
