Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the podium at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday for a highly anticipated address centered on Israel’s security, Iran, the war against terrorism and what he described as a worldwide campaign of lies against the Jewish state.

Netanyahu entered the UN amid protests outside the building and an openly hostile atmosphere inside, with Israel facing fierce criticism from numerous governments throughout this year’s General Assembly.

But Netanyahu arrived promising that he would not allow those attacks to go unanswered.

“You hear the terrible lies being spread there; I will fight for the truth,” Netanyahu declared before departing Israel, while teasing that his address would also include “surprises,” according to the Jerusalem Post.

The dramatic speech came during an extraordinarily brief visit to the United States, with Netanyahu spending only hours in New York before returning to Israel ahead of Sukkos.

Iran and its threat to Israel featured prominently, with Netanyahu addressing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, ballistic missile arsenal and efforts to rebuild capabilities following devastating Israeli strikes.

Netanyahu has repeatedly made clear that Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and that Jerusalem is prepared to act independently when it believes the Jewish state faces an existential threat.

His appearance also gave Israel’s prime minister an opportunity to confront the international criticism directed at the country over its military operations and to present Israel’s position directly before the world’s largest diplomatic forum.

Before taking the podium, Netanyahu met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu stressed the importance of the strategic relationship between Israel and Greece, while the two discussed regional developments, energy cooperation and further trilateral cooperation with Cyprus.

Netanyahu also met Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, thanking him for what the Prime Minister’s Office described as his “steadfast support for Israel” and discussing opportunities to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

For Netanyahu, however, the centerpiece of the lightning visit was the UN podium itself — confronting Israel’s critics face-to-face and presenting the Jewish state’s case on Iran, terrorism and the multiple fronts on which Israel has been fighting since the October 7 massacre.

Rather than allow Israel’s enemies and critics to dominate the international stage unchallenged, Netanyahu came to New York with a simple message: Israel would defend itself militarily when necessary — and defend its case before the world as well.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)