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Itongadol.- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday before leaving Israel for the United Nations in New York that he would refute "all of the lies directed at us" with regard to Israel\’s recently concluded war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. His comments come after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in his own UN address Friday charged that Israel had conducted "a war of genocide" in Gaza.
With memories of the Nazi holocaust still fresh in Israel, use of the word "genocide" is regarded as particularly provocative.
The 50-day war between Israel and Hamas-led Islamic militants ended Aug. 26. It killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 72 on the Israeli side, almost all soldiers.
Netanyahu said Saturday that his speech at the General Assembly would focus on responding to Iranian President Hassan Rohani and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, accusing both of them of deception and incitement.
"After a deceptive speech by the Iranian president and an inciting speech by Abu-Mazen (Abbas) I will tell the truth of the Israeli citizens to the whole world," Netanyahu said in a statement issued on Saturday.
"In my speech in front of the UNGA and in all of my meetings, I will represent Israel\’s citizens, and repel, in their name, the lies and slander thrown at our country," he said.