Back in Israel, hundreds of protesters jeered the premier’s departure at Ben Gurion Airport, demanding action to free the remaining hostages in Gaza and denouncing his appointment of a new Shin Bet chief.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to New York to defend the Jewish State after a host of Western capitals lined up this week to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly.
“At the UN General Assembly, I will speak our truth — the truth about the citizens of Israel, the truth about our IDF soldiers and the truth about our country,” Netanyahu told reporters before boarding his flight on Thursday.
“I will denounce those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, rapists and child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the Land of Israel. This will not happen.”
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday before meeting President Trump on Monday for a fourth summit, where Israel’s longest-serving premier aims to secure backing for defeating Hamas and freeing the remaining Gaza hostages.
“In Washington, I will meet for the fourth time with President Trump and discuss with him the great opportunities that our victories have brought, and also our need to complete the goals of the war: returning all of our hostages, defeating Hamas and expanding the circle of peace that has opened up following the historic victory against Iran in ‘Operation Rising Lion’ and other victories that we have achieved,” Netanyahu said.
But Netanyahu is also bracing for a fallout. Britain, Canada, and Australia’s recognition of Palestinian statehood — joined this week by France and Portugal — has triggered talk inside his coalition of annexing parts of Judea and Samaria, which could invite further punitive measures from Israel’s detractors.
Trump officials have reportedly warned Israel against such a move, even after the president publicly denounced world leaders for rewarding Hamas’s atrocities on Oct. 7 with a Palestinian State.
Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff claims he’s “confident” of a Gaza breakthrough within days, having presented Arab leaders with a 21-point peace plan. Hamas has already sent Trump a letter proposing a 60-day truce in exchange for releasing half the hostages.
However, the Trump administration has already rejected the offer, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying “the president has been clear… He’s not interested in 60 days, 10 people. He wants all the hostages out, all 48, including the 20 who are alive and the 28 who are deceased.”
Back in Israel, hundreds of protesters jeered the premier’s departure at Ben Gurion Airport, demanding action to free the remaining hostages in Gaza and denouncing his appointment of a new Shin Bet chief.
Some dressed in orange prison jumpsuits calling for Netanyahu’s jailing, while others mocked alleged Qatari cash deals with costumed Gulf “sheikhs.”
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