Netanyahu to Address U.N. Amid Global Criticism Over Gaza and West Bank Actions
Israeli PM Netanyahu to speak at U.N. as global leaders condemn Israel's actions in Gaza and West Bank.
POLICY WIRE — Tel Aviv, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to deliver a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, as his government faces mounting international criticism over its military operations in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu arrived in New York early Thursday morning and will depart just hours after his address, scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern Time. The visit is unusually short, as he must return to Israel for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which begins Friday evening.
Several world leaders, including those from France, the U.K., Jordan, Syria, Qatar, and Turkey, used their U.N. speaking slots on Wednesday to strongly criticize Israel’s policies. Analysts suggest Netanyahu will use this moment to showcase his ability to defend his country ahead of the upcoming Israeli election.
During his trip, Netanyahu will meet with several foreign leaders, including heads of state from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, Ethiopia, and the vice president of Colombia, as well as prime ministers from Greece, Slovenia, and Papua New Guinea. However, he will not meet with former President Donald Trump.
His speech is expected to focus heavily on Iran, with potential remarks on Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and neighboring regions like Syria. Netanyahu has previously used U.N. addresses to highlight concerns about Iran’s nuclear and military activities, promising surprises in his upcoming remarks.
📄 POLICY WIRE WHITEPAPER PUBLISHED: PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY PRIORITIES
He also plans to respond to recent criticism from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who labeled him a war criminal. In a video response, Netanyahu vowed to “tell the truth about” the mayor, accusing him of supporting Hamas. Mamdani had previously threatened to have Netanyahu detained if he attended the U.N. gathering, though he later acknowledged he could not enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
Mamdani’s comments on planned protests against Netanyahu drew sharp criticism from the prime minister, who accused him of inciting unrest against New York Jews. I’m coming to the U.N. I’m going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I’m going to tell the truth about you, Netanyahu said in the video.
Earlier in the week, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham criticized the scale of Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, calling it disproportionate. He highlighted the high civilian toll and limited aid reaching Gaza, where Israeli forces control more than half of the territory. French President Emmanuel Macron also faced backlash in Israel after accusing the country of daily violations in the West Bank, a claim Netanyahu dismissed as grotesque absurdity.
King Abdullah of Jordan called for sanctions against Israel, urging diplomatic isolation over its policies. Analyst David Makovsky noted that Netanyahu will likely use the U.N. platform to bolster his political standing ahead of the October election, leveraging what he sees as selective moral outrage from global leaders.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
