Dhaka, Sept. 25 -- Dozens of delegates streamed out of the United Nations General Assembly Hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking on Thursday.

Netanyahu waved towards those leaving and called them "moral cowards", while supporters in the gallery chanted in Hebrew.

It was a striking opening to a speech delivered under two very different pressures: mounting criticism of Israel abroad over the Gaza war and a general election at home on Oct 27.

Reuters described the 40-minute address as campaign-style, noting that it was broadcast live in evening prime time on all four of Israel's main television channels.

Netanyahu used the UN stage to defend Israel's military actions in Gaza and across the region, reject accusa...