Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to New York this week is shaping up as a brief and limited program centered on his address to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Israeli prime minister's current schedule does not include a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Barak Seri, an Israeli military intelligence analyst and former officer, described the visit as "very unusual, very brief and almost devoid of meetings." Seri said Netanyahu had been isolated internationally and that Trump did not want to meet with him.
Criticism of Israel's standing in Washington
Dan Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador serving in Tel Aviv, argued that Israel's standing in the United States had suffered an "unprecedented decline." Shapiro said Netanyahu was not part of the solution to that decline and that the deterioration had reached an unprecedented level even among Republicans, Trump's party.
Shapiro said Trump might conclude before the elections planned in Israel for October 27 that working with another government could be easier.
Eli Ohana, a former football star and former chairman of Beitar Jerusalem, also said the situation in Israel was "not ideal." Ohana said he had avoided identifying himself as Israeli while abroad and had concealed his identity while vacationing in Greece. He said Israel was going through an "abnormal period."
New York schedule and expected protests
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at 2 p.m. New York time. Israeli media reported that efforts had previously been made to arrange a meeting between Netanyahu and Trump, but the current schedule does not include a meeting with the U.S. president.
Protests against Netanyahu are expected to take place in New York during his visit. The demonstrations are expected to condemn Israel's war in Gaza and attacks on Palestinians and their property in the occupied West Bank.
Situation in Gaza and the West Bank
About 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, while more than 175,000 people have been injured. Children and women make up most of those killed and injured.
About 90 percent of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been damaged as a result of the destruction caused by the war, with reconstruction costs estimated at about $70 billion. Attacks on Palestinians and their property have intensified in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Election timetable and cases against Netanyahu
General elections in Israel are planned for October 27. The government led by Netanyahu, who has headed the government since the end of December 2022, is described as the most right-wing government in Israel's history.
Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate corruption cases. Critics in Israel and other countries argue that he has prolonged military operations to delay court hearings.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
