Netanyahu to Blast NYC Mayor at UN Amid Growing Isolation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to deliver a scathing speech at the United Nations on Thursday, directly attacking New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The address comes amid a public dispute where Adams previously called Netanyahu a "war criminal." Netanyahu, in a video statement earlier in the week, vowed to "tell the truth about you" at the UN. Adams had campaigned on arresting Netanyahu for alleged war crimes if he visited New York, though he later acknowledged lacking the legal authority. He recently described Netanyahu as the "mastermind of a horrific genocide against Palestinians." Netanyahu retorted, "Shame on you, Adams, for your support of the terrorist monster Hamas, who massacred our people. Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews. I am coming to the UN, and I will tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I am coming to expose the truth about you."
Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren suggested Netanyahu's speech would function as an "election speech," aimed at the Israeli public rather than the UN. Oren believes Netanyahu might be hoping that attacking Adams and Iran could sway undecided voters in the upcoming Israeli elections. Netanyahu is making an unusually short visit to the U.S. for the UN address, scheduled for around 9 p.m. Israeli time, and is expected to return the same day.
His office announced meetings with leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, Ethiopia, Colombia, Greece, Slovenia, and Papua New Guinea. It remains unclear if any meetings with U.S. officials are scheduled. Earlier, two Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, indicated that discussions were underway regarding potential meetings with senior U.S. figures, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but nothing was confirmed. Notably, a meeting between Netanyahu and former President Donald Trump is not anticipated, despite their past alignment on confronting Iran, which has since diverged following a temporary ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran that Netanyahu opposed.
