Netanyahu's UN address triggers mass protests in New York, dozens detained

On Thursday, as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the UN headquarters in New York, hundreds of people gathered outside, blocking street traffic for more than an hour. The crowd included Jewish, Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese New Yorkers, several elected officials, candidates running in the November election, and a number of well-known public figures.

Many demonstrators wore shirts calling to fund people rather than weapons and chanted slogans demanding an end to the war in Gaza. Official motorcades heading to the UN were rerouted after protesters sat down in the middle of the street, unfurling banners calling for an end to the conflict and flying a kite carrying a message of support for Palestinians.

A separate, larger protest was planned for later Thursday in midtown Manhattan, followed by a march toward the UN. The day before, activists had also demonstrated at John F Kennedy International Airport against weapons shipments bound for the Israeli military.

Organizers estimated that more than 100 people were detained, though police did not immediately confirm the figure. Among those detained were an actor and several pro-Palestinian candidates who had won primary elections earlier this year in various states.

Protests have long accompanied Netanyahu's UN appearances, but this year's demonstrations come amid deepening international isolation for Israel. New York's mayor, who had pledged during his campaign to arrest Netanyahu should he visit the city, has acknowledged he lacks the legal authority to do so, instead calling on the federal government to act. He has stressed his support for residents' right to protest while saying he did not plan to join the demonstrations himself.

The events reflect a broader shift in American public opinion toward Israel, one increasingly visible in electoral politics as well.