Netanyahu's UN Speech Analysis Reveals Focus on 'World' and 'Lie,' Minimal 'Peace'

An analysis of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent speech at the UN General Assembly on September 24 reveals a significant shift in his vocabulary compared to previous addresses. While "Israel" was mentioned 47 times and "Jew" (in all its forms) 24 times, the word "peace" appeared only three times, with only one instance referring to Israel's aspiration for peace. This contrasts sharply with his 2023 UN speech, delivered just weeks before the October conflict, where he used the word "peace" 40 times.

The analysis, conducted by Ynet using AI and manual verification, found that "world" was mentioned 15 times, slightly more than "lie," which appeared 12 times. "Truth" was stated eight times, as was "genocide," a term Netanyahu used to describe accusations against Israel, which he called "the lie of the century."

Iran remained a prominent topic, mentioned 19 times in various forms. Hamas and "terrorists" were each mentioned 12 times, while "Palestinians" were mentioned 10 times, and "war" 10 times. Netanyahu also referenced specific individuals, including his brother Yoni (7 times) and Neria Leiter, a reservist injured in a terror attack (4 times).

Notably, the word "elections," despite upcoming elections on October 27, was not mentioned at all. His wife, Sara, was also not mentioned, a departure from previous speeches.

Netanyahu quoted retired Colonel John Spencer, an expert on urban warfare, three times to emphasize the IDF's efforts to prevent civilian casualties. He also mentioned former US President Donald Trump once, thanking him for his leadership against Iran. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was mentioned three times, with Netanyahu asserting that Israel did not commit genocide and prevented it, contrasting this with Hamas's intentions.

Historical comparisons show Netanyahu's focus has shifted over time. In his first UN speech as Prime Minister in 1998, he mentioned "Palestinians" 31 times and Iran only twice. Between 2009 and 2014, Iran was mentioned 167 times, significantly more than "peace" or "Palestinians." In 2017, Iran was mentioned at least 37 times, while Palestinians were mentioned only twice.