The tone was aggressive, defiant and at times vindictive. On Friday, September 26, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech before the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. He chose to use the UN platform to repeat the arguments he has been making since October 7, 2023, to justify his military and political choices in Gaza and across the Middle East. Major decisions – on the continued destruction of Gaza, negotiations for the release of hostages and the fate of the occupied West Bank – were postponed until Monday and his meeting with US President Donald Trump, who is bringing a 21-point plan intended to end the conflict.

Amid diplomatic isolation, Netanyahu's core message was directed at the recent recognition of a Palestinian state announced this week by several UN member countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. "Israel will not allow you to shove a terrorist state down our throats. We will not commit national suicide because you don't have the guts to stand up to a hostile media and antisemitic mobs demanding Israel's blood," he declared, comparing the recognition of Palestine to "giving Al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11."

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