Netanyahu Presents ‘Deafening Silence’ Moment in UN Speech
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put up one of the most dramatic scenes as he protested the Iran nuclear deal in an address to the UN General Assembly in New York Thursday afternoon: A 42-second moment of silence.
After listing Iran’s new acts of terrorism in just the last 6 months, Netanyahu turned to the world powers and condemned them for their “repulsive hypocrisy” in remaining silent in face of Iran’s Supreme Leader’s call to annihilate Israel. “The response from every one of you here, utter silence. Deafening silence,” he said before pausing and glaring at the delegates with a stern look for some 42 seconds.
In what seemed to be one of the most authentic and most appealing speech of his career, Netanyahu argued that Israel’s opposition to the Iran deal is based on Iran’s behavior and actions, from the transfer of weapons to the Middle East region to its continuous calls for the destruction of the Jewish State.
“It’s not easy for Israel to oppose something embraced by the greatest powers in the world. Believe me, it would be far easier to keep silent,” he said. “As the prime minister of the Jewish state, I refuse to be silent.”
“When bad behavior is awarded, it only gets worse,” he said on the lifting of sanctions on the Iranian regime. “I’m gravely concerned the nuclear deal with Iran will prove to be the marriage certificate of that unholy union.”
Adding, “If Iran’s rulers were working to destroy your countries, perhaps you’d be somewhat less enthusiastic about the deal. If Iran’s terror proxies were firing thousands of rockets at your cities, perhaps you’d be more measured in your praise.”
Netanyahu also didn’t pass on demonstrating what has become the much-anticipated prop for his speeches at the UN. This year is was a soft-cover copy of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s book with speeches calling for the eradication of Israel within 25 years.