Protests, calls for sanctions greet Netanyahu at UN amid Gaza horrors

New York City – Thousands of New Yorkers joined satellite diplomats successful giving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the acold enarthrosis arsenic helium spoke astatine the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Protesters connected Friday greeting rallied against the Israeli premier curate connected the streets of New York City arsenic dozens of delegates marched retired of the UN Assembly hallway erstwhile helium began his code connected the 4th time of the General Debate.

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And blocks away, diplomats representing countries crossed the satellite were gathering arsenic portion of the Hague Group to sermon taking factual measures against Israel, including sanctions, for its astir two-year battle connected Gaza.

Al-Sharif Nassef, who was participating successful the New York protest, said it was a “shame” that Netanyahu was successful the metropolis alternatively of The Hague to reply to his alleged warfare crimes astatine the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an apprehension warrant for him past year.

“All the New Yorkers who are present contiguous enactment his arrest. He is not invited here,” Nassef told Al Jazeera.

“And Inshallah [God willing], nether the caller mayorship, helium volition beryllium arrested arsenic soon arsenic helium steps guardant successful New York City.”

Earlier this month, New York Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamadani promised to enforce the ICC’s apprehension warrant against Netanyahu. But the US is not a enactment to the tribunal, truthful it is not wide whether the New York Police Department has the ineligible powerfulness to detain the Israeli premier minister.

Protesters clasp an effigy of Netanyahu successful handcuffs successful New York City, September 26 [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera]

‘Is babe look Hamas?’

After Netanyahu finished his speech, protesters marched from Times Square to a parkland adjacent the UN complex connected the East River.

They waved Palestinian flags and chanted “free Palestine” and “arms embargo now” arsenic the objection snaked done the streets amid dense constabulary presence.

Some demonstrators besides displayed the flags of Colombia and Ireland – 2 countries that person been vocal successful their enactment for Palestinians.

Nasreen Issa, a subordinate of the Palestine Youth Movement – NYC, which helped organise the march, said the ample turnout sends a connection that it is “unacceptable” for the US to rotation retired the reddish carpet for Netanyahu.

Issa said that demonstrations enactment adjacent if their effects are not instantly felt.

“Protests play an important relation successful generating the governmental volition that tin marque existent alteration happen,” the activistic told Al Jazeera.

Meagan Fredette held a cardboard motion that said, “Is babe look Hamas???” to item the Israeli restrictions connected basal nutrient items successful Gaza, which person plunged the territory into deadly famine, according to a UN-backed monitor.

Fredette said she feels “disgusted” arsenic a New Yorker that Netanyahu is successful her city.

“I consciousness angry. It’s embarrassing that he’s here. He doesn’t merit to beryllium here,” she told Al Jazeera. “He’s a literal, wanted criminal. New Yorkers were not blessed that he’s here.”

As the demonstrators arrived extracurricular the information perimeter astatine the UN, they encountered astir a twelve counterprotesters waving Israeli flags.

But instrumentality enforcement officers separated the 2 sets of protesters and confined the tiny pro-Israel rally to a barricaded area.

When a antheral with an Israeli emblem started shouting obscenities astatine the anti-Netanyahu demonstrators, the constabulary rapidly intervened and ordered him to determination distant from the protest.

Broadcasting Netanyahu’s code done Palestinian phones

Inside the UN General Assembly hallway earlier, Netanyahu addressed a country that was partially emptied by the walkout, and helium received applause that came lone from 1 country connected the precocious level of the room.

Asked whether the people clapping for Netanyahu were guests of the Israeli mission, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, lone said, “Every delegation is allowed to bring successful guests.”

Netanyahu’s bureau said connected X that the premier curate had ordered the hacking of the phones of Palestinians successful Gaza to watercourse his code connected the devices.

“In an unprecedented action, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu … has announced that the [Israeli military] took power of the telephones of Gaza residents and Hamas members, and that his code is present being broadcast unrecorded via the telephones,” the station said.

His bureau besides posted connected societal media that the Israeli subject broadcast the code connected a loudspeaker to the starving and beleaguered colonisation of the territory.

Al Jazeera asked Dujarric for a absorption to a UN relation being utilized arsenic a instrumentality to taunt an full population, but helium declined to respond.

“I person nary circumstantial remark connected that,” the spokesperson said.

“I deliberation the absorption should beryllium connected alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people, getting much humanitarian assistance in, and getting the hostages out,” Dujarric added.

Israel has killed much than 65,500 radical successful Gaza, including astir 20,000 children, and turned astir the full territory into rubble.

The UNGA is gathering this twelvemonth amid increasing planetary choler astatine Israel’s conduct. Several Western countries that are traditionally allied with Israel recognised the authorities of Palestine during the assembly.

Palestine solidarity protesters stitchery successful New York City’s Times Square arsenic Netanyahu speaks astatine the UN, September 26 [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera]

Hague radical meeting

On Friday, diplomats from 24 countries – portion of the Hague Group, which aims to halt the warfare connected Gaza – called for enactment to halt the atrocities beyond statements and symbolism.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, urged tangible moves against Israel, including sanctions.

“We are retired of clip due to the fact that if we neglect to act, children are killed,” Mansour told a Hague Group meeting.

“Palestinian children are killed, starved, orphaned, burned and traumatised, families are shattered, beingness is destroyed, lands are stolen and territories are annexed.”

Mansour besides called for planetary enactment for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel astatine the International Court of Justice.

The gathering included representatives from Colombia, South Africa, Qatar, Turkiye, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Ireland, Spain and Uruguay.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira warned against failing to halt Israeli atrocities.

“International instrumentality requires states not lone to refrain from committing genocide, but besides to forestall it. Failure to bash truthful whitethorn springiness emergence to authorities responsibility, including for complicity successful genocide,” helium said.

“Time has travel for States to fulfil their obligations nether the Genocide Convention by adopting effectual measures to guarantee that they bash not, straight oregon indirectly, collaborate with its perpetrators.”