Netanyahu heads to UN amid tensions with critics in New York

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to use his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York to attack both critics and allies, according to the supplied report. The speech comes as he faces a difficult re-election campaign at home and renewed political pressure over Israel's war in Gaza. The row around his visit has also drawn in New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has become one of his most visible local critics.

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The report says Netanyahu is likely to raise the case of Israeli ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, whose son was badly injured in an alleged Palestinian ramming attack in the occupied West Bank. It also says Netanyahu has already singled out Mamdani, after the mayor said he would execute an International Criminal Court arrest warrant if the Israeli leader arrived in the city. Mamdani later said he did not have the authority to do that, but the exchange has still fuelled anger among Netanyahu and his supporters.

The International Criminal Court said in 2024 that it had reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu was responsible for war crimes in his Gaza campaign, which followed Hamas' deadly attacks on 7 October 2023. That legal backdrop remains central to the political tension around his appearance at the UN. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will not attend the General Assembly after Washington denied him a visa, removing another prominent critic from the room.

Netanyahu is also expected to direct criticism at some of Israel's allies, including Britain and France. The report says Britain has imposed limited sanctions on Israeli exports from the occupied West Bank, and that France has followed with similar measures. French President Emmanuel Macron also drew Israeli anger after saying Hamas was not active in the West Bank, a claim Netanyahu's office rejected as absurd.

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The speech comes during the UN's signature diplomatic week, when leaders use the platform to set out positions on war, diplomacy and international law. For Netanyahu, the appearance is likely to be shaped by the Gaza conflict, the ICC case and growing friction with Western governments over Israel's conduct in the occupied territories. It also highlights how the war has widened into a broader political dispute involving city leaders, national governments and international institutions.

What remains unclear is how far Netanyahu will go in his remarks and whether he will announce any new policy line in response to the criticism. It is also not clear whether the exchanges with Mamdani, or the absence of Abbas, will affect the tone of the wider General Assembly debate. The main point to watch is whether the speech deepens tensions with allies or signals any shift in Israel's diplomatic approach.

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