Dozens of delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address, staging a protest as he defended Israel’s military actions and attacked international criticism of the country.

Netanyahu dismissed accusations of genocide against Israel as the “greatest lie of the century,” rejecting criticism from a UN-backed inquiry, human rights organizations, genocide scholars and world leaders attending this week’s summit.

Addressing those who had left the chamber, Netanyahu described them as “moral cowards” and said he would continue speaking despite efforts to challenge Israel’s position at the........

© Naya Daur