Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly Thursday. (SERGEY GUNEEV/Sputnik via AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his United Nations address Thursday to accuse Qatar and Turkey of fueling anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment, charging that the two countries have used money, media, and political influence to undermine Israel internationally.
Netanyahu told the U.N. General Assembly that Israel’s military battles were accompanied by what he called a “war for truth,” fought largely through international news organizations and social media.
“Several foreign countries have spent untold billions to spread lies about my country,” Netanyahu said. “The first to do so was Qatar.”
Netanyahu accused Qatar of pouring money into American universities and supporting Al Jazeera as part of a campaign aimed at shaping Western attitudes toward Israel.
“Decades ago, it started massively funding American universities and toxic media outlets like Al Jazeera,” Netanyahu said, adding that Qatar had done the same in Europe.
Netanyahu claimed the objective was to “brainwash young minds to hate Israel, hate America, hate the West.” He also pointed to Qatar’s relationship with Hamas, accusing Doha of hosting Hamas leaders.
Qatar has rejected similar Israeli accusations.
In his own U.N. address this week, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani argued that Israeli officials invoke antisemitism to deflect criticism of their government’s actions.
Netanyahu then turned his attention to Turkey, calling it “the latest country to become a super spreader of anti-semitic lies.”
He delivered a broad attack on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing his government of hosting Hamas leaders, repressing political opponents and journalists, occupying northern Cyprus and threatening Greece.
Netanyahu also accused Erdogan of seeking greater Turkish control over Syria and harboring ambitions involving Jerusalem.
“He says he’s going to be the ruler of Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said. “No, sir. You won’t. This is our country, our city, our eternal capital.”
The dispute followed Erdogan’s own U.N. address Tuesday, in which the Turkish president strongly condemned Israel’s conduct in Gaza and called for increased international pressure on the Israeli government.
Turkey also responded Thursday to a separate attack from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who had accused Erdogan of delivering an “antisemitic” U.N. speech and called him a “paper sultan.”
Turkish communications chief Burhanettin Duran said Katz’s rhetoric would not obscure events in Gaza or international accusations against the Israeli government.
Netanyahu framed the increasingly bitter confrontation with Qatar and Turkey as part of a wider battle over international perceptions of Israel, arguing that campaigns against the Jewish state were intended to weaken its ability to defend itself.
“Tyrants the world over seek to threaten us,” Netanyahu said. “They seek to undermine our resolve with their campaign of lies.”
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.