Netanyahu's UN Visit Schedule Sparks Criticism Over Lack of US Meetings

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming visit to New York for the UN General Assembly will feature a significantly shortened itinerary, notably lacking a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a former senior official in the Prime Minister's Office. Edna Halabani, who managed foreign visits from 1996 to 2021, told Maariv that she has never encountered such a condensed schedule for an Israeli premier attending the General Assembly. Typically, such visits include extensive diplomatic engagements with world leaders, with a meeting with the U.S. president being a customary highlight, sometimes even necessitating travel to Washington D.C. if the president was not in New York.

Halabani described the current situation as "shameful and humiliating," attributing the lack of high-level engagement to Netanyahu's diminished standing and international respect. She stated, "He brought this upon himself," though she acknowledged the schedule could still change if Trump decides to meet Netanyahu at the last minute. The former official emphasized that Netanyahu is expected to arrive in New York on Thursday morning, speak at the UN General Assembly at 2 PM local time, and potentially depart the U.S. shortly thereafter, without an overnight stay.

Originally, Netanyahu's U.S. trip was planned to be much longer, including a stop in Texas for potential meetings with Elon Musk and visits to SpaceX facilities. Preparations for this segment had begun but were later canceled, leading to the drastic reduction in the overall visit's length. Current reports indicate that Netanyahu is not among the leaders President Trump intends to meet during the General Assembly, and Netanyahu is expected to arrive after Trump has already left New York.