Netanyahu takes UN stage with one eye on Israel’s election

As criticism of Israel intensifies, Israeli PM Netanyahu heads to the UN with his own political future in focus.Published On 24 Sep 2026When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes to his feet at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York later on Thursday, he does so at a critical point in both his political career and in his country’s long and fractious relationship with the international body.Israel has faced repeated accusations of genocide at the UN, as well as systematic war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Those criticisms continue to shape the country’s fractious relationship with the body.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Do Israelis feel any safer now than they did on October 6, 2023?list 2 of 4Why United Nations says US boat strikes may be ‘crimes against humanity’list 3 of 4US senator condemns Netanyahu as a ‘chronic liar’ ahead of UNGA visitlist 4 of 4Despite flurry of New York diplomacy, US-Iran deal remains elusiveend of listFor Netanyahu, appearing in front of the UNGA for the 15th time, the stakes have rarely been higher. Addressing a domestic Israeli audience that polls show to be losing faith in him and his Likud party in the run-up to crucial elections later this year, Netanyahu has already pitched himself as Israel’s primary voice on the international stage.Nevertheless, analysts say Netanyahu’s address could prove a pivotal moment domestically, amplified by international criticism of Israel and expected to dominate headlines and be carried live across the country’s television networks.“This is a regular fixture for him,” former Israeli consul general in New York and ex-government adviser, Alon Pinkas, told Al Jazeera. “It’s his way of being seen in Israel as standing up against the world and of telling members that he will never give up or surrender. He’s also turned the event into some kind of national holiday in Israel, with everyone sitting down to watch the address on television. He’s brainwashed people in Israel into believing his speech is somehow an announcement of policy, stated in defiance of the [rest of the world] who don’t believe a word he says.”A history of hostilityIsraeli leaders have long framed their stance towards the UN as one of defiance in the face of hostility. The UN has long been a platform for critics of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land and repeated attacks on its neighbours. It has included attempts to censure Israel over what UN investigators have described as apartheid in the West Bank, as well as accusations of genocide and pogroms across the occupied Palestinian territory since October 2023.