Even as he asserted that Israel “yearns” for peace, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, stated his country must keep fighting to defend itself against “savage murderers who want its destruction.”
“My country is at war, fighting for its life,” Netanyahu stated and added, “We must defend ourselves against these savage murderers. Our enemies aim not just to destroy us, but to annihilate our shared civilisation and drag us back to a dark age of tyranny and terror.”
Netanyahu’s remarks came as Israel continued its strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, amid concerns that the conflict could escalate into a full-blown regional war.
In his address, Netanyahu attributed the ongoing conflict to Israel’s long-standing adversary, Iran and emphasised that Tel Aviv was defending itself against Tehran across seven fronts.
“There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true for the entire Middle East,” he said, adding, “Israel’s soldiers have fought back with extraordinary courage, far from being lambs led to the slaughter.” His words were met with applause, though some delegates, including representatives from Iran, walked out.
Netanyahu also insisted that Israel doesn’t want to see a single innocent person die. “No army has done what Israel is doing to minimise civilian casualties: we drop fliers, we send text messages, we make phone calls by the millions to ensure that Palestinian civilians get out of harm’s way,” he said.
Netanyahu concluded with a firm message: “We are winning.”
He also indicated that Israel would continue discussions on ceasefire proposals for Lebanon in the coming days. Meanwhile, Washington cautioned that further escalation could complicate efforts for civilians on both sides to return home.
Since September 16, over 700 people have died in Lebanon, while more than 5,000 have been injured in Israeli airstrikes, according to the latest figures from Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.
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