Actor Hannah Einbinder has taken to social media, emphasizing that the focus should be on Gaza rather than on the commotion surrounding her arrest during a protest outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN speech. Einbinder urged attention to the ongoing conflict in Palestine and Southern Lebanon, labeling it as a genocidal war. She criticized the U.S. for its continued backing of Israel.
Einbinder, along with fellow actors Susan Sarandon and others, was among over 100 protesters detained in New York City during Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly. Images showed Sarandon and Einbinder in handcuffs, with Sarandon sporting a shirt that read “fund people not bombs.” The protest, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, drew hundreds demanding an end to the military funding of Israel and an end to the ongoing conflict.
Amnesty International and a UN inquiry have classified Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, a claim vehemently refuted by Israel. Netanyahu, in his speech, denied the accusations of genocide and defended Israel’s military operations in Gaza as targeting Hamas while providing humanitarian aid to civilians.
The rally outside the UN witnessed delegates walking out as Netanyahu began his speech, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the assembly remotely, highlighting the challenges faced by the Palestinian people. Amid escalating tensions and international criticism, the U.S. remains a steadfast supporter of Israel, planning a significant arms sale to the country. Israeli officials have faced condemnation for controversial statements regarding the future of Palestinians in Gaza.