The Israeli delegation to the United Nations General Assembly fears Arab states and pro-Palestinian countries will attempt to stage provocations during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech on Friday. Concerns include the possibility of ambassadors waving signs or walking out in protest. At last year’s gathering, several delegations left the hall as soon as Netanyahu began speaking.
Netanyahu’s speech is scheduled for 9 a.m. New York time (4 p.m. Israel). He will be the first speaker of the day, raising the possibility that some delegations will not attend or will try to disrupt. The UN has instructed that signs are prohibited and violators risk removal, as happened last year when then-ambassador Gilad Erdan held up a protest sign during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s address.
A senior Israeli official said the atmosphere at the UN is “increasingly hostile toward Israel” and that preparations are being made for attempts to embarrass or disrupt the prime minister.
As in previous years, Netanyahu has invited close associates and Jewish leaders to the speech, where they are expected to counter hostile reactions with applause and support. His remarks are expected to focus on three audiences: his political base in Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of their White House meeting Monday, and Arab states that recently recognized Palestinian statehood.
To his domestic supporters, Netanyahu is expected to deliver a combative Zionist message, attacking French President Emmanuel Macron and governments that recognized Palestinian independence. His line: recognizing a Palestinian state rewards terrorism while Hamas continues to hold 48 hostages in Gaza. Before boarding his flight, Netanyahu declared, “The disgraceful surrender of some leaders to Palestinian terror will not obligate Israel in any way. There will be no Palestinian state.”
The second part of Netanyahu’s speech is expected to be directed at Trump, signaling readiness to discuss “the day after” in Gaza—but only once Israel’s conditions are met: the release of all hostages and Hamas’ dismantling. Netanyahu is expected to speak about the next stage of the war and, in a message to Arab states that have recognized Palestine, hint at possible international involvement in Gaza under those conditions.
Trump, speaking at a White House press conference alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Thursday that “we are close to the end of the war in Gaza” and suggested a hostage deal “could happen soon.” He said he held productive meetings with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan on the sidelines of the UNGA.
Jerusalem is on alert ahead of Monday’s Trump-Netanyahu meeting, at which the U.S. president is expected to present his 21-point plan for ending the war. The proposal reportedly includes international oversight of Gaza in the postwar phase, with contributions from Arab and Muslim states including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Indonesia, along with the Palestinian Authority.
Israel opposes PA involvement but believes it may have to accept some limited role. A senior Israeli official admitted there are elements of Trump’s plan “we will not like.” Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is being considered to head an interim administration in Gaza, with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff also involved. Netanyahu met with both men Thursday evening in New York.
Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Netanyahu said: “We will discuss the opportunities created by our victories, as well as the need to complete our war goals: to return all our hostages, defeat Hamas and expand the circle of peace.”
After landing, Netanyahu met at his New York hotel with Argentine President Javier Milei, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña — three of Israel’s strongest allies. Attempts to arrange further meetings largely failed, as many world leaders had already left the city.
Netanyahu said before leaving Israel: “At the UN, I will tell the truth of our citizens, of our soldiers, of our nation. I will denounce those leaders who, instead of condemning the murderers, rapists and child-burners, want to give them a state in the heart of Israel. It will not happen.”
Netanyahu and his entourage in New York City
The prime minister’s flight to New York took 13 hours due to a longer route avoiding European countries, over fears he could face detention under the International Criminal Court arrest warrant. The aircraft also avoided French airspace, despite Paris granting permission. In an unprecedented move, Netanyahu traveled with a small entourage and without journalists, in what officials said was an effort to reduce fuel consumption and extend the flight range.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office has launched a large-scale campaign in New York to coincide with Netanyahu’s speech. Dozens of billboards and trucks near the UN and Times Square carry the slogan “Remember October 7” in English, along with a QR code linking to a website (accessible outside Israel) showing images of the Hamas massacre.
Organizers said the campaign’s purpose is “to remind world leaders and the public of the atrocities committed by Hamas, which continues to hold 48 hostages in Gaza.”