At the UN General Assembly in New York, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani delivered a blistering critique of Israel, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of choosing war over peace and derailing hostage negotiations. He denounced Israel’s September 9 strike in Doha on Hamas leadership as a “rogue act” and accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. “They consider negotiations the continuation of war by other means,” the emir said, claiming Netanyahu sees the Gaza war as “an opportunity to expand settlements.”
King Abdullah II of Jordan used his address to deliver a sustained denunciation of Israel’s actions, calling the Gaza conflict “one of the darkest moments in this institution’s history.” He accused Netanyahu’s government of dismantling the foundations for peace and warned that his vision of a “Greater Israel” threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring states. Abdullah cited widespread destruction in Gaza, including schools, hospitals, and religious sites, and urged concrete international action beyond condemnation.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan echoed these concerns, calling Israel’s operations in Gaza a “genocide” and showing images of devastation during his speech. He accused Israel of conducting occupation and deportation, not counter-terrorism, and said Netanyahu has shown no interest in resolving the hostage crisis or pursuing peace. Erdoğan warned that Israel’s policies threaten “the values that emerged after the Second World War” and risk triggering a broader religious conflict.
In a strikingly different tone, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto called for respect for Israel’s right to security, saying peace requires mutual recognition. He pledged that Indonesia would recognize Israel once it recognizes a Palestinian state and offered to deploy 20,000 peacekeepers to Gaza if mandated by the UN. His address concluded with the Hebrew blessing “Shalom,” an unprecedented gesture that underscored his nation’s call for reconciliation in the Middle East.