\n<\/p>\n
The remarks came during a 40-minute address that also covered Iran, Hamas, Gaza and Israel\u2019s alliance with the United States. Israeli media highlighted the comments on Cyprus and Greece.<\/p>\n
The speech followed Netanyahu\u2019s meeting hours earlier with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the Assembly. The two discussed regional developments, energy cooperation and plans for a new Greece\u2013Cyprus\u2013Israel trilateral summit.<\/p>\n
On Erdo\u011fan, Netanyahu said: \u201cHe is a tyrant. He also hosts the leaders of the terrorist organization Hamas. He has killed thousands of Kurdish civilians. He denies the Armenian Genocide, jails journalists and opposition leaders. In fact, I think he holds the world record on this.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cHe illegally occupies Cyprus, which is a member of the European Union, and systematically violates international law against Greece, which is a member of NATO. Now he wants to take over Syria. He says he will become the ruler of Jerusalem. No, sir, that is not going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dozens of delegations walked out before or during the speech. Netanyahu responded: \u201cIf there are any other cowards, let them leave now.\u201d Those who remained applauded.<\/p>\n
He defended Israeli strikes on Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities, arguing that without them \u201cwe would all be dead.\u201d Israel, he said, also defends countries whose envoys had left the hall, and claimed other leaders had privately thanked him for the strikes.<\/p>\n
He rejected French and British accusations of Israeli colonialism. \u201cThey accuse Israel \u2014 tiny Israel \u2014 of colonialism. What colonialism?\u201d he asked, adding that Britain and France \u201cinvented the term\u201d and once held colonies \u201cacross the entire planet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Netanyahu called October 7 \u201cthe darkest day in Israel\u2019s history,\u201d accusing Hamas of murdering about 1,200 Israelis and of killings, rape and arson. Enemies expected Israel to collapse, he said; instead \u201cwe fought like lions\u201d on \u201cseven fronts\u201d for three years. He recalled his brother Yoni, killed at Entebbe, and a wartime line: \u201cHe told me we would win. We have no other choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
He named Donald Trump Israel\u2019s strongest ally \u201cin this battle against the barbarians,\u201d thanking him for \u201ccourageous leadership\u201d and saying the Iran strikes aimed at \u201csaving civilization.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also described an \u201ceighth front\u201d: the fight for truth in media and on social platforms. He accused Qatar of funding U.S. universities, media and Al Jazeera for decades to turn young people against Israel, the United States and the West.<\/p>\n
On Gaza, he said Hamas uses civilians as \u201chuman shields\u201d and hospitals, schools and mosques as command centers, while Israel tried to move civilians away from combat zones.<\/p>\n