Netanyahu’s lightning UN visit reveals his growing isolation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in New York on Thursday (US time) for an unusually brief visit, delivering an address to the United Nations General Assembly before returning to Israel the same day.

The visit is expected to last only a matter of hours. Unlike previous trips to New York, Netanyahu has no announced program of diplomatic meetings surrounding his UN appearance, and, most significantly, no meeting scheduled with US President Donald Trump.

The compressed itinerary reflects Netanyahu’s growing international isolation, including the cooling of his once-close relationship with Trump. It also comes at a politically sensitive moment, with Israel facing mounting international pressure and its election scheduled for October 27.

Trump was once among Netanyahu’s most valuable electoral assets. Ahead of Israel’s 2019 election, giant billboards showed the two leaders shaking hands under the slogan “Netanyahu: Another League”. Now, Netanyahu is visiting the United States without a presidential meeting and is expected to leave immediately after his speech to resume campaigning at home.

Netanyahu arrives in a city where opposition to him is widespread and where Jewish and Israeli groups, alongside pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist activists, have announced protests.

UnXeptable, a grassroots movement movement launched by Israeli expats in support of a democratic Israel, is planning a protest in Union Square ahead of his speech. Its founder, Offir Gutelzon, said Netanyahu caused harm to Israel “wherever he is”. Jewish organisations supportive of the prime minister are also expected to mobilise.