The latest between Israel and Hezbollah: Netanyahu warns Iran: ‘We can strike anywhere’ – as he claims ‘lies’ at UN forced him to attend | World News

While there was a standing ovation from Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters at the UN General Assembly, the cameras may not have shown the frenzy of diplomats leaving the hall in protest.

Our Dominic Waghorn, International Affairs Editor During the Israeli prime minister’s speech, which he said “didn’t offer anything really new,” “many diplomats” were sent to the exit.

“We haven’t heard anything new from the prime minister for some time on some questions that his allies want answered now more than ever,” he told the room in New York.

“How does the war in Gaza end and what happens the day after?”

“And I think the big concern for Israelis in this speech is that he repeated his call for a total victory against Hamas,” Waghorn added.

“He says Hamas has to go. And it is very difficult to imagine how to completely get rid of Hamas.”

He said it was hard to imagine how Israel could “completely” destroy Hamas while waging a war that effectively recruited more supporters to its cause – even if the militant group’s military capabilities were diminished.

Personal reasons

Mr. Netanyahu’s critics also argued that the prime minister was continuing the war for personal reasons, Waghorn stressed. Some believed a peace deal could lead to the resignation of far-right members of his government and the eventual collapse of his coalition.

“His critics believe that this eternal war is partly due to his personal political reasons,” he said.

“Not just the other reasons that he made very passionately and very angrily from the podium here at the UN General Assembly today.”