Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to deploy visual aids during his United Nations General Assembly address on Friday, aiming to pull global attention back to the October 7 massacre amid a new wave of recognitions of a Palestinian state and fast-moving US-Israel diplomacy.
According to Israeli officials, Netanyahu spent Thursday in two main huddles with senior advisers. One focused on what an Israeli official described as a “blow” delivered by US President Donald Trump when he said he would “forbid” Netanyahu from annexing all or parts of the West Bank.
The second centered on final preparations for the prime minister’s speech, which is set to lean heavily on visuals to remind world leaders of the atrocities of October 7 and to drive Israel’s message to a global audience.
Netanyahu traveled to the United States without journalists, on a flight path that was lengthened to avoid potential overflight snubs by third countries. He landed late Thursday morning at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, where he was greeted by Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon and New York Consul-General Ofir Akunis.
The prime minister’s schedule in New York opened with meetings at his hotel and diplomatic sit-downs with the leaders of Argentina, Serbia and Paraguay. A particularly notable session brought together US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
Trump later said from the Oval Office that he had spoken with Netanyahu. The development may have personally pleased Netanyahu by taking annexation off the agenda, but it was unlikely to sit well with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have championed annexation. Netanyahu spent the remainder of the day in working sessions with his team to finalize the UNGA address.
Netanyahu's slated schedule in New York and Washington
On Friday, Netanyahu is scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly in the morning. He is also expected to meet US social-media influencers, hold conversations with senior editors and newsroom leaders, and attend a Kabbalat Shabbat with his delegation.
On Sunday, he is slated to meet Jewish community leaders at a JNS News event, with a possible additional meeting with members of World Likud.
On Monday, Netanyahu is due to depart New York around 8 a.m. local time for Washington and meet Trump at the White House at 11 a.m. A separate meeting that aides hoped to arrange is expected to be postponed to a later opportunity.