Netanyahu says he is at UN to defend Israel from 'lies and slanders'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he came to the UN General Assembly to defend Israel from the "lies and slanders" that he heard from other world leaders this week.

"I didn't intend to come here this year," said Netanyahu at the start of his address.

"My country is at war, fighting for its life. But after I heard the lies and slanders levelled at my country by many of the speakers at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight," he said.

Netanyahu spoke as Israel engages in a fifth day of heavy air attacks on Lebanon, which have killed hundreds of people and displaced tens of thousands more, while Hezbollah militants continue to fire at northern Israel.

The Israeli leader said "the truth" was that "Israel seeks peace."

But he said Israel "will not rest" until the threat posed by the Lebanese militia Hezbollah is eliminated.

"As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice. And Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their home safely. And that's exactly what we're doing."

Netanyahu spoke at the annual high-level General Debate week at the assembly in New York.