Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York to address the 81st United Nations General Assembly, delivering a defiant speech aimed at countering international backlash.
Taking the global stage, Netanyahu insisted on telling “the truth” about Israel’s military operations and its soldiers, while strongly rejecting war crimes allegations.
Mounting tensions with city leadership
His trip opened under intense political tensions, highlighted by a sharp feud with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Ahead of his speech, Netanyahu directly berated the mayor, falsely accusing him of supporting Hamas after Mamdani labeled the prime minister a war criminal.
Large crowds of demonstrators gathered near the UN headquarters in Manhattan, protesting against his government’s actions and the humanitarian crisis.
Pushing back against world leaders
During his address, the Israeli leader rejected recent global criticism including remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding military activity in the West Bank.
Netanyahu emphasized what he characterized as key security achievements against regional threats particularly focusing on conflicts involving Hamas, Lebanon and Iran.
A compressed agenda overseas
Netanyahu’s visit was unusually brief, lasting less than 24 hours on the ground before his scheduled return to Israel ahead of the Sukkot holiday.
His itinerary did not include a meeting with US President Donald Trump, though he maintained side meetings with diplomatic leaders from Latin America, Europe and Africa before departing back to a difficult reelection campaign at home.
