NETANYAHU JUST CALLED HIMSELF…

NETANYAHU TELLS UN: “WE DIDN’T COLLAPSE” AS HE DESCRIBES ISRAEL’S SEVEN-FRONT WAR

 

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked the October 7, 2023 attacks during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, portraying Israel’s response as a prolonged struggle for national survival.

Speaking in New York, Netanyahu said Israel’s enemies had expected the country to collapse after the Hamas-led attack, but argued that Israelis instead mobilized and fought back.

“Our enemies expected us to collapse. Well, we didn’t collapse. Instead, we rose and fought like lions,” Netanyahu told the General Assembly during his address.

The statement came as Netanyahu described October 7 as the darkest day in Israel’s history, recalling the attack that began the conflict and transformed Israel’s regional security environment.

Netanyahu praised Israeli soldiers for what he described as extraordinary courage, saying troops had fought continuously for three years across what he called a seven-front war.

According to Netanyahu, Israel had faced simultaneous threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iranian-linked forces and Palestinian militants operating in the West Bank.

He argued that the different fronts represented a broader regional confrontation involving Iran and allied armed groups, presenting the conflict as part of a larger strategic struggle.

Netanyahu specifically highlighted the role of Israeli forces in confronting Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian military capabilities during the years following October 7.

He also credited the United States with supporting Israel during the conflict, linking Washington’s assistance to Israel’s military operations against several regional adversaries.

The prime minister’s remarks reflected the central themes of his speech: Israel’s security, the October 7 attack, Iran’s regional influence and the continuing military campaign across multiple fronts.

Netanyahu said Israel had not been defeated despite facing simultaneous pressure from several directions, using the country’s survival as evidence of military resilience.

He described the Israeli military campaign as an extended effort involving soldiers fighting “day in and day out,” while emphasizing the sacrifices made by Israeli service members.

The speech also included references to Israel’s operations against Hezbollah, including the 2024 pager attacks, which Netanyahu presented as an example of Israeli military and intelligence capabilities.

Netanyahu further discussed Israel’s confrontation with Iran, claiming that cooperation with the United States had helped target Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.

The Israeli leader’s account was delivered amid sharp international disagreement over Israel’s conduct in Gaza, with several governments and political leaders continuing to criticize the military campaign.

His address was also marked by a walkout, as dozens of delegates left the General Assembly chamber before or during the beginning of Netanyahu’s remarks.

Netanyahu responded directly to those leaving, criticizing them and continuing his speech to the delegates who remained inside the chamber.

The atmosphere surrounding the address reflected the deep diplomatic divisions created by the war, with supporters emphasizing Israel’s security concerns and critics focusing on the humanitarian consequences.

Netanyahu nevertheless used the United Nations platform to emphasize what he described as Israel’s determination to continue defending itself against armed groups and regional threats.

His repeated references to October 7 connected the current conflict directly to the attacks that killed Israeli civilians and triggered the subsequent regional escalation.

By describing the conflict as a seven-front war, Netanyahu sought to place Israel’s military campaign within a broader regional framework involving multiple armed organizations and Iran.

The speech ultimately presented Netanyahu’s account of the past three years as a story of Israeli survival, military resistance and continued confrontation despite intense international pressure.