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 a world power stands firmly behind Israel.
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—not least 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.
The biased Western media counted the boycotters in dozens, even as Netanyahu spoke to an almost empty United Nations General Assembly Hall. Diplomats from Arab and Muslim countries walked out, joined by 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 broadcast his speech. However, he had nothing new to tell the world or Hamas. He only demanded—for the umpteenth time—the immediate release of the remaining hostages.
Israel claims to be one of the world’s biggest technological forces, especially regarding military use. Fully backed by an even mightier United States, Israel has showcased some of its military gimmicks, like exploding pagers. So why, despite their military muscle and technological superiority, have they failed to secure the release of the remaining hostages?
How can they hope to achieve the even more ambitious target of eliminating Hamas?
Of the 48 hostages left in Gaza, Netanyahu says 20 may still be alive. Despite being focused on a 41-kilometer stretch of land for two years, his high-tech drones and well-armed ground forces have been unable to secure their release. Netanyahu has vowed he will not rest until all hostages have been brought home.
During his speech, the lapel of the Israeli leader’s suit carried a large white badge displaying a QR code. He encouraged people to zoom in and access the code, which leads to a website about the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. This seemed to be an attempt to promote the perception that he remains obsessed with achieving the target he set some 730 days ago.
However, the world remains confused about his ultimate objective: is it finishing Hamas, killing all Palestinians, or creating Greater Israel?
The gimmickry continued in New York. According to Netanyahu’s office, they launched a public diplomacy campaign in New York City, organizing billboards and trucks displaying the message “Remember October 7” in Times Square and around the UN building.
Despite these efforts, Pew Research Center’s April 2025 report reveals that support for Israel among Americans has dropped significantly since the start of the Gaza war.
At the world’s biggest forum, Netanyahu stood exposed and more isolated than ever before. His policy inflexibility has forced some of his past allies to abandon him. A growing number of Western countries have found no other option but to recognize Palestinian statehood. Countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and France have taken this belated decision—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, amid resounding applause, 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.
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. The other eight countries opposing were Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Tonga. Twelve nations abstained during the vote.
This shows how limited support Tel Aviv is left with.
Netanyahu’s diminishing support is not just about countries; it reflects a more fundamental change in American public opinion. According to Pew Research Center’s April 2025 report, support for Israel among Americans has dropped significantly since the start of the Gaza war. Only 54 percent of Americans now say that the Israeli-Palestinian war is relevant to them, an 11-point drop from 65 percent in January 2024. The percentage of people who believe the war is significant to U.S. national interests has also declined from 75 percent to 66 percent over the same period.
The U.S., Israel’s staunchest ally, is showing signs of fatigue. Former President Donald Trump stated earlier that any attempt by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank would be a red line for him.
Netanyahu still seems not to have grasped the message Western nations wanted to send: that enough is enough; Israel cannot have an indefinite license to kill; there are limits, and those limits have been crossed.
His speech, full of spin and allegations of anti-Semitism, was not heard by many. He is now isolated. 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 is: how much more killing is needed?
Netanyahu’s speech lacked a roadmap. For those hoping for world peace, that was the most alarming element.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1348318-no-method-to-netanyahus-madness
