Netanyahu Arrives at UN, Responds to 'House of Lies' Question

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday ahead of his address to the General Assembly. Upon his arrival, Netanyahu was asked by a reporter how it felt to "arrive at the house of lies," to which he responded, "An opportunity to tell the truth." The Prime Minister's visit is exceptionally brief, lasting only a few hours, with his UN speech being the central focus. Unlike previous trips, the current schedule does not include significant political meetings.

Netanyahu's office stated that during his visit, he was scheduled to meet with the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, and Ethiopia, as well as the vice president of Colombia and the prime ministers of Greece, Slovenia, and Papua New Guinea. Many leaders requested meetings, but due to the tight schedule and the need to return before the Sukkot holiday, Netanyahu could only accommodate some. The brevity of the visit is attributed by the Prime Minister's office to security concerns and fears of an assassination attempt, as well as unusual involvement from the U.S. Secret Service.

Netanyahu's speech at the UN is expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program and missile capabilities, with the Prime Minister anticipating revealing new information on these topics. He is also expected to address the mayor of New York, Eric Adams. Earlier, Netanyahu released a video message to the Israeli public, stating his primary goal for the trip was to defend Israel and its soldiers against what he called "terrible things" and "lies" being spread at the UN and globally. "I will fight for the truth of our soldiers, of our country. Yes, and there will be surprises," he declared.