Israel seeks peace but fighting for life, Benjamin Netanyahu tells UN Assembly

Benjamin Netanyahu, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly, asserted that Israel will fight "until we achieve total victory" and no longer tolerate daily Hezbollah rocket fire.

In Short

• Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirms Israel's commitment to peace at UN
• Vows to fight Hamas in Gaza until 'total victory'
• Claims 60,000 northern Israelis forced to flee due to Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a powerful address at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, reaffirmed Israel's commitment to peace, pointing out that his country is fighting for its life in the face of "savage enemies" who want its annihilation.

"Israel is seeking peace despite fighting for its life in the face of savage enemies who want its annihilation," Netanyahu said.

"My country is at war, fighting for its life. We must defend ourselves against these savage murderers. Our enemies seek not only to destroy us, they seek to destroy our common civilisation and return all of us to a dark age of tyranny and terror," he added.

Netanyahu spoke as Israel intensified strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, raising fears of an escalating conflict in the middle-east region.

Further in his speech, Netanyahu made it clear that Israel will fight "until we achieve total victory" if Hamas does not surrender. The Prime Minister also said that his country will no longer tolerate daily rocket fire on it territory by Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. "Enough is enough," he asserted.

The Israeli Prime Minister also pointed to the plight of 60,000 residents of northern Israel, forced to flee their homes due to the threat from Hezbollah. "How long would the American government tolerate that?" he asked, drawing a comparison with the situation.

"We won't rest until our citizens return safely to our homes," Netanyahu stated, stressing that Hezbollah's refusal to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 for the past 18 years has allowed it to expand its military presence right up to Israel's borders, endangering both Israeli and Lebanese civilians.

"Hezbollah puts a missile in every kitchen, a rocket in every garage," he added.

Netanyahu also reaffirmed Israel's right to self-defence, pledging that as long as Hezbollah continues its "path of aggression", Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will not cease its operations.

He also noted that Israeli forces have already targeted senior Hezbollah military commanders and key missile infrastructure and vowed to continue efforts to degrade the group until all military objectives are achieved.