The United Nations 80th General Assembly should have been the stage to discuss the future of peace in the age of artificial intelligence. Sadly, it turned out to be one of the most divisive sessions, dominated by Palestine rather than Israel. The gathering proved that Palestine cannot be brushed aside as an idea, even if you have a world power at your back.
Not many member states were eager to listen to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26—especially Hamas, the enemy he has been obsessed with for the last two years. Netanyahu tried his best to address Hamas directly amid a boycott of his speech. However, the biased Western media counted the boycotters in dozens, even as Netanyahu spoke to an almost empty United Nations General Assembly Hall after diplomats from Arab and Muslim countries walked out, along with counterparts from several African and some European countries.
The Israeli leader claimed that his intelligence had hacked cell phones across Gaza and used them to play his speech. Despite this dramatic claim, he had nothing new to tell the world or Hamas. He only demanded—for the umpteenth time—the release of the remaining hostages.
Israel claims to be one of the world’s biggest technological forces in terms of military use and is fully backed by the mightier United States. We have seen some of their gimmicks—exploding pagers, for instance. So why, despite their military muscle and technical superiority, have they failed to secure the release of the remaining hostages? How can they achieve the even more ambitious target of eliminating Hamas?
Of the 48 hostages left in Gaza, Netanyahu says 20 may still be alive. Despite focusing on a 41-kilometre stretch of land for two years, his high-tech drones and well-armed ground forces have been unable to secure their release. The Prime Minister has vowed that he will not rest until all hostages have been brought home.
In a notable gesture, the lapel of Netanyahu’s suit bore a large white badge displaying a QR code. He encouraged people to scan it, which leads to a website about the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. This appears to be an attempt to promote the perception that he remains obsessed with achieving the target he set himself around 730 days ago. However, the world remains confused about his ultimate objective: finishing Hamas, killing all Palestinians, or creating Greater Israel.
The gimmickry continued in New York. According to Netanyahu’s office, a public diplomacy campaign was organized in New York City, featuring billboards and trucks displaying the message: “Remember October 7” in Times Square and around the UN building.
Meanwhile, public support is shifting. According to Pew Research Center’s April 2025 report, support for Israel among Americans has dropped significantly since the start of the Gaza war. Despite all the political maneuvering, Netanyahu stood exposed at the world’s biggest forum, more isolated than ever. His policy inflexibility has forced some of his past allies to abandon him, and a growing number of Western countries feel compelled to recognize Palestinian statehood.
Countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and France have taken belated steps to recognize Palestine, much to Netanyahu’s displeasure. A few days before his appearance, on September 12, a vote took place in the UN General Assembly Hall. Out of 193 UN member states, 142 voted in favor of a declaration on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution with Israel amid resounding applause.
The “New York Declaration” was the outcome of an international conference held in July at UN Headquarters, organized by France and Saudi Arabia. Ten nations, including Israel and the United States, opposed the declaration. This clearly shows how limited support Tel Aviv now enjoys. The other eight countries opposing were Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Tonga. Twelve countries abstained from the vote.
Netanyahu’s diminishing support is not just about countries; it reflects a more fundamental change in American public opinion. Pew’s April 2025 report highlights that only 54 percent of Americans now say the Israeli-Palestinian war is relevant to them—a drop of 11 points from 65 percent in January 2024. Those who believe the war is significant to US national interests have declined from 75 percent to 66 percent over the same period.
The United States, Israel’s staunchest ally, is showing signs of fatigue. Former President Donald Trump stated that any attempt by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank would be a red line for him.
Despite all these signals, Netanyahu has yet to grasp the message Western nations sent through the rising recognition of Palestinian statehood: enough is enough. Israel cannot have an indefinite license to kill. There is a limit—and it has been crossed.
His speech, full of spin and allegations of anti-Semitism, went largely unheard. He is now isolated, and the sooner he realizes this, the better it may be for him—and for world peace.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, since October 7, 2023, over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed. The question now remains: how much more killing is needed?
Netanyahu’s speech lacked a roadmap. For those rooting for world peace, that is the most alarming element of all.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1348318-no-method-to-netanyahus-madness
