Netanyahu Praises Israeli Resilience in Address to UN Delegation

“Israel today is a very small country, but a very strong one,” Netanyahu said, saying its strength lies in the spirit of its people.

By United with Israel Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Tuesday in Jerusalem with a delegation of United Nations ambassadors, delivering remarks on Israel’s security challenges, regional developments, and the country’s historical experience during a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office alongside Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon.

“People thought that after the Holocaust antisemitism would vanish,” Netanyahu said. “No. It was a pause, a brief respite. It returned. The only thing that has changed is not what they say about the Jews or about the Jewish state. They say the same things. The only thing that has changed is that when they come to slaughter us, we have the ability to defend ourselves.”

Netanyahu pointed to Israel’s recent multi-front war as evidence of that transformation, describing the threats posed by Iran and its regional proxies. He recalled the rhetoric used by Hamas during the fighting, telling the ambassadors that the attackers openly called for “death to Israel, death to America.”

“They massacred every man, woman and child they could lay their hands on,” he said. “They would have slaughtered all of us if they could, but they could not, because we pushed them back.”

The prime minister said Israel’s response extended beyond a single enemy, describing a broader confrontation with what he called Iran’s regional axis. “Not only them,” Netanyahu said, “but the entire Iranian axis that keeps them alive: Hamas, Hezbollah, the Assad regime, the Houthis, Iran itself, and the various militias. We pushed them back.”

According to Netanyahu, this ability to defend itself marks the defining difference between modern Israel and Jewish history in earlier eras.

“Israel today is a very small country, but a very strong one,” he said. “It is strong not only because of technology or science, though those matter. Above all, it is strong because of the spirit of the people. We are strong because we know history will not give us another opportunity.”

Netanyahu described Israel’s national revival as something unprecedented, comparing the country’s survival and growth to a historic rebirth.

“There are so many miracles that people can create,” he said. “To return from the dead, to break all the laws of history. You cannot return from the dead, but we did.”

He concluded by emphasizing Israel’s long-term commitment not only to its own security, but to regional stability and prosperity.

“We are completely committed to defending our future,” Netanyahu told the delegation, “and to ensuring a region of prosperity, security and peace, not only for ourselves but for all those who will join us.”