Netanyahu UN speech: 5 things to watch as Israel PM addresses Gaza, Iran and Mamdani

The speech comes at a politically sensitive moment for Netanyahu, with Israel's general election scheduled for October 27 and his government facing criticism over the Gaza war and Israel's international standing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to use his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday (September 24) to defend Israel's military actions, confront critics over the Gaza war and warn about Iran, while also taking aim at New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The speech comes at a politically sensitive moment for Netanyahu, with Israel's general election scheduled for October 27 and his government facing criticism over the Gaza war and Israel's international standing. Reuters, citing former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren, reported that the address could resemble a campaign speech, aimed partly at Israeli voters rather than solely at the UN.

What will Netanyahu say at the UN?

Netanyahu has already signalled that he intends to use the UN platform to defend Israel and its soldiers.

In a video statement ahead of his trip, Netanyahu said he was going to New York to "tell the truth about our heroic soldiers" and "to tell the truth about you", directly addressing Mamdani. Netanyahu has rejected allegations of war crimes and genocide levelled against his government.

His speech is also expected to focus heavily on Iran and the consequences of the conflict with Tehran. Israeli reports said Netanyahu is expected to discuss Iran, antisemitism and the demand that Hamas disarm, while also mentioning Mamdani.

Why is Netanyahu taking on New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani?

The Netanyahu-Mamdani feud has become one of the most visible political confrontations surrounding the Israeli PM's visit.

Mamdani campaigned on a pledge to pursue Netanyahu's arrest over alleged war crimes if the Israeli leader visited New York. He later said he had determined that, as mayor, he did not have the legal authority to carry out such an arrest.

Mamdani has continued to sharply criticise Netanyahu, recently describing him as the "architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians". Netanyahu, in turn, has accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas — an allegation Mamdani rejects.

Netanyahu has now promised to address Mamdani directly from the UN podium.

Why isn't Netanyahu meeting Trump in New York?

One of the most notable features of Netanyahu's visit is the absence of a scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The two leaders jointly launched the February 28 war against Iran but later diverged over an interim ceasefire between Washington and Tehran that Netanyahu opposed. Reuters reported that Netanyahu's team had discussed potential meetings with senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but no such meeting was set.

The absence of a Trump meeting is particularly significant because Netanyahu is approaching an election. Mitvim president Nimrod Goren,an Israeli think tank focused on the country's foreign policy, told Reuters that not meeting Trump could carry political significance for Netanyahu at home.

Netanyahu's unusual one-day US trip

Unlike his week-long US visit last year, Netanyahu's 2026 UN trip is exceptionally short.

He will arrive in New York on Thursday morning and is expected to return to Israel the same day after delivering his UN address. Reuters reported that his stay is expected to last less than eight hours.

The compressed itinerary is partly linked to the Jewish festival of Sukkot, which begins Friday evening, according to Netanyahu's office.

Who will Netanyahu meet?

Despite the absence of a Trump meeting, Netanyahu has a series of meetings scheduled with foreign leaders.

His office said he is due to meet the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Panama and Paraguay, the vice president of Colombia, and the prime ministers of Greece, Papua New Guinea and Slovenia.

Netanyahu's office said numerous world leaders had requested meetings but that his tight schedule meant he could accommodate only some of them.