DOMINANT ANGLE
France is facing a direct attack from Benyamin Netanyahu, who accuses it of having invented the colonialism it reproaches him for, in a speech to the UN where Paris primarily notes the named criticism of Emmanuel Macron ahead of the Israeli legislative elections.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Netanyahu specifically targets France and the United Kingdom, which he accuses of having "invented" the term colonialism.
- 02
He calls the genocide accusation the "biggest lie of the century" and claims that Israel has "prevented a genocide", citing food aid and polio vaccination in Gaza.
- 03
Several dozen protesters, including actress Susan Sarandon, were arrested in New York during a rally organized by Jewish Voice for Peace.
ANALYSIS
Paris, September 25, 2026. At the United Nations General Assembly podium on Thursday evening, Benyamin Netanyahu made France an explicit target of his indictment against critics of Israel. "They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism, what colonialism? Among them, there are people in the United Kingdom and in France. Good grief, they are the ones who invented the term!", the Israeli Prime Minister exclaimed, before denouncing colonies that "covered the entire planet".
The French press notes that this attack targets European capitals, such as Paris, which have toughened their tone on the occupied West Bank. Le Monde emphasizes that the speech comes "at a time when international criticism, particularly from Emmanuel Macron, is multiplying against the violence committed against Palestinians". Netanyahu designated the French President as one of the "incarnations" of a West that has given in to "anti-Semitic crowds", leaders who, in his view, have "chosen weakness" and "appeasement".
The Prime Minister also described the accusation of genocide as "the greatest lie of the century", claiming that Israel had instead "prevented a genocide", citing food aid and polio vaccination campaigns in Gaza. Dozens of delegations left the room at the call of the Palestinian mission as soon as he began speaking; he called them "moral cowards", assuring that by striking Iranian nuclear facilities, Israel had defended "many countries whose representatives have just left this room".
The speech also targeted the Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, accused of supporting Hamas and labeled an anti-Semite; the elected official retorted that no "lie" changed the fact that Netanyahu remained "under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court". Outside the UN headquarters, the New York police arrested several dozen protesters gathered by Jewish Voice for Peace, including actress Susan Sarandon, according to RFI, BFMTV, and 20 Minutes.
The French press finally notes that this indictment, delivered a month before the Israeli legislative elections on October 27, combines a diplomatic offensive against Europeans and a domestic policy strategy.
SOURCES (7)
- 20 MinutesMEDIUM
- Sud OuestMEDIUM
- L'ObsMEDIUM
- BFMTVMEDIUM
