DOMINANT ANGLE
Bucharest sees Netanyahu's speech at the UN as an election campaign exercise, more aimed at mobilizing the Israeli electorate than convincing a partially deserted General Assembly.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Digi24 presents the speech as an "election campaign speech" by a Prime Minister engaged in a difficult campaign for his re-election
- 02
The Turkish government's director of communications, Burhanettin Duran, described Netanyahu's remarks as "baseless", recalling the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and ongoing judicial proceedings
- 03
Actress Susan Sarandon was arrested in New York during a Jewish Voice for Peace gathering near UN headquarters, even before Netanyahu's speech
ANALYSIS
Bucharest, September 25, 2026. The Romanian press sees Benyamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN podium as less of a diplomatic plea and more of an exercise in domestic politics. Digi24 presents it from the start as "an election campaign speech", delivered by a Prime Minister "engaged in a difficult campaign for his re-election", at a time when violence is escalating in the occupied West Bank, according to AFP cited by the media.
In a partially empty room on Thursday, following the call from the Palestinian mission to the UN, Netanyahu described the accusation of genocide as "the greatest lie of the century" and stated, according to Mediafax citing The Independent, that the attack on Iran was "one of the easiest decisions" he had ever made. He called the delegations that left "moral cowards": "If there are still moral cowards in this room who have not left, leave now", he said, according to Digi24.
The Prime Minister targeted several specific targets. He mocked the UK and France on colonialism: "They are the ones who invented the term, their colonies cover the entire planet", he said, according to G4Media. He described Turkish President Erdogan as a "tyrant" and Turkey as a "major propagator of anti-Semitic lies", and targeted New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accused of supporting Hamas. He also described extremist settlers as "young delinquents", accusing the international press of giving them disproportionate attention.
Ankara responded in the evening: according to Digi24, the director of government communication, Burhanettin Duran, judged the remarks "unfounded", unable to make people forget "the massacres, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the judicial procedures initiated under international law".
On the sidelines of the speech, Mediafax and G4Media report the arrest in New York of actress Susan Sarandon, who was stopped during a rally organized by Jewish Voice for Peace near the UN headquarters. The protesters, who chanted "Stop Arming Israel" and "End the Genocide", blocked traffic before the intervention of the New York police, who mentioned an "undeclared demonstration".
SOURCES (3)
- MediafaxMEDIUM
- Digi24MEDIUM
- G4MediaMEDIUM
- Netanyahu la ONU: „Israelul nu a comis un genocid, ci a împiedicat un genocid” / Zeci de delegați prezenți la Adunarea Generală a ONU au ieșit din sală la discursul lui Netanyahu
- Actrița americană Susan Sarandon a fost reținută la New York / A protestat la ONU împotriva lui Netanyahu / Manifestanții au blocat traficul scandând „opriți bombele” și „puneți capăt uciderilor”
