Business

Bibi’s UN speech set to be a Mamdani showdown

By Sohail Khan 24 September 2026, 12:00 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty23,194.55-252.25

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
21.07 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›News›International›World News›Netanyahu expected to berate New York's Mamdani in 'campaign speech' of UN address

Read Today's Paper

Netanyahu expected to berate New York's Mamdani in 'campaign speech' of UN address
Synopsis

Benjamin Netanyahu is set to deliver a speech at the UN where he plans to address Mayor Zohran Mamdani's accusations. As Israeli elections approach, Netanyahu's campaign is perceived as increasingly desperate amidst mounting criticism of the Gaza war. He is making a brief visit to the US and is not expected to meet the US President.

"What are we, in the 1930s?": Netanyahu slams New York mayor Mamdani over remarks on UN visit — Benjamin Netanyahu is set to deliver a speech at the UN where he plans to address Mayor Zohran Mamdani's accusations

Tel Aviv: Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to use his UN address on Thursday to berate New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal, a feud that highlights the Israeli leader's growing isolation ahead of elections at home that he may lose.

Addressing the mayor directly in a video statement this week, Netanyahu said he was going to New York "to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers" and "to tell the truth about you." He falsely accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas militants.

Mamdani campaigned for office on a promise to have Netanyahu arrested for alleged war crimes should he visit the largest US city, though he later said he determined he lacked the legal authority to do so. This week, Mamdani described Netanyahu as "the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians."

Netanyahu, who rejects war crimes allegations, will be making his first visit to New York since Mamdani took office in January. Israelis opposed to Netanyahu's right-wing government are planning to protest in New York.

Opinion polls suggest an Israeli general election five weeks away could end Netanyahu's long hold on power. The campaign is unfolding amid mounting criticism of Israel's Gaza war and without a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump.

"He's not really speaking to the UN, he's speaking to the Israeli public," said former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, who expects Netanyahu's address to resemble a "campaign speech."

"Maybe he's thinking, 'If I can attack Mamdani and attack the Iranians, somebody who was wavering between voting for me and voting for (Gadi) Eisenkot may decide to vote for me,'" Oren said, referring to former military chief Eisenkot, Netanyahu's leading rival.

NETANYAHU NOT EXPECTED TO MEET TRUMP

Netanyahu is making an unusually short visit to the US for his UN address. After arriving early on Thursday, he is expected to fly back the same day after delivering his speech in the afternoon.

The Israeli leader is to meet with the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama, Ethiopia and the vice president of Colombia, and with the prime ministers of Greece, Slovenia and Papua Guinea, Netanyahu's office said. His office did not say if meetings were planned with US officials.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, two Israeli officials earlier said Netanyahu's team was discussing potentially holding meetings with senior US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though nothing had been set.

Notably, Netanyahu is not expected to meet Trump. The two men jointly launched a war on Iran on February 28, but they found themselves on a collision course after the US and Iran agreed to an interim ceasefire that Netanyahu opposed.

Many Israelis were angered by that deal, and opinion polls showed they questioned Trump's commitment to Israeli security, even as his administration proceeds with billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel's government.

"A lack of any encounter with the president, a month before an Israeli election, will indicate that Trump is keeping a distance from him and will be negative for Netanyahu's campaign," said Nimrod Goren, president of Mitvim, an Israeli think tank focused on the country's foreign policy.

The election is scheduled for October 27.

ISRAEL CONFRONTS INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM

Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu has in the past made a visual spectacle of his UN appearances, using charts, diagrams and props to warn of Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran says is for civilian purposes.

Last year several delegations walked out as Netanyahu approached the lectern while supporters in the gallery cheered.

Goren said Netanyahu's speech would likely follow a familiar script: defending Israel, confronting its critics and warning about Iran while arguing that Israel's opposition to Tehran serves the interests of the wider international community.

He will also likely tout what he sees as his own achievements and close ties to Trump and the US, Goren said.

Israel has faced deepening diplomatic isolation since launching its war in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel nearly three years ago.

Netanyahu is unable to travel to many countries because of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, issued against him and his defense minister as well as the leader of Hamas in 2024.

Earlier this month, once-steadfast allies Britain, France and Canada announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which drew a muted response from Washington.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
Netanyahu UN addressZohar MamdaniIsrael elections 2023war crimes allegationsGaza warTrump Netanyahu meetinginternational relations IsraelNetanyahu campaign speech

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year