Netanyahu: UK’s Palestine recognition says ‘murdering Jews pays’

Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the UK and other nations embracing Palestinian statehood of sending a message that “murdering Jews pays off”.

Speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, the Israeli prime minister also dangled the hope of future peace deals with near neighbours Syria and Lebanon – but appeared to rule out the prospect of a Palestinian state because of their “rejection” of a Jewish homeland.

Many UN delegates had walked out of the hall as Netanyahu began his speech on Friday afternoon in a protest at his conduct during the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Beginning his speech he claimed to represent the voices of the “families of hostages languishing” in the tunnels in Gaza.

“I want to do something I’ve never done before, I want to speak to those hostages through loudspeakers — I’ve surrounded Gaza with loudspeakers in the hope that our dear hostages will hear me,” Netanyahu said.

In Hebrew and then in English, he said: “Our brave heroes, this is Prime Minister Netanyahu … we have not forgotten you. We will not falter and we will not rest until we bring all of you home.”

He then named the remaining hostages before demanding Hamas release them, so that the war in Gaza could end immediately.

But turning to the recent moves by the UK, France and other Western allies to recognise a Palestinian state, he had harsh criticism.

“This week, the leaders of France, Britain, Australia, Canada and other countries unconditionally recognized a Palestinian state. They did so after the horrors committed by Hamas on October 7 – horrors praised on that day by nearly 90% of the Palestinian population.”

“You know what message the leaders who recognize the Palestinian state this week sent to the Palestinians?” Netanyahu said. “It’s a very clear message: murdering Jews pays off.”

“Over time, many world leaders buckled. They buckled under the pressure of a biased media, radical Islamist constituencies and antisemitic mobs. There’s a familiar saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

“Well, for many countries here, when the going got tough, you caved,” Netanyahu said.

He added:”Behind closed doors, many of the leaders who publicly condemn us privately thank us. They tell me how much they value Israel’s superb intelligence services that have prevented, time and again, terrorist attacks in their capitals.”

But the Israeli PM also appeared to play into the hands of those who say he has no interest in ever seeing a two-state solution.

He claimed:”Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7 is like giving Al Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11.”

Netanyahu then pointed to the vote in the Knesset last year in which over 90 per cent of MK’s voted against the imposition of a Palestinian state.

“My opposition to a Palestinian state is not simply my policy, it’s the policy of the state of Israel,” he declared.

The Israeli PM also claimed there was little difference between so-called Palestinian moderate voices and those of Hamas, and claimed that the PA used the same antisemitic schoolbooks as the terror group.

But in a carefully calculated move, Netanyahu also used the speech to suggest there was a genuine prospect of Israel securing peace deals with neighbouring states Syria and Lebanon.

At one state he urged delegates to scan a badge he was wearing on his suit, saying the QR code would offer an insight into the horrors of October 7.

Netanyahu also celebrated Israel’s military successes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Iran itself.

“We lifted a dark cloud that could have claimed millions and millions of lives,” he said.

He added:”We’re not done yet. The final remnants of Hamas are holed up in Gaza City … Israel must finish the job.”