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 — not least Hamas, the enemy he has been obsessed with for the last two years.
Despite a boycott of his speech, Netanyahu tried his best to address Hamas directly. 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, along with counterparts from several African and some European nations.
The Israeli leader claimed that his intelligence had hacked cell phones across Gaza and used them to play his speech. However, 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 military use and is fully backed by the even 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 being focused 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. He has said 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. He apparently wishes to promote the perception that he is obsessed with achieving the target he set for himself nearly 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, 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.
But 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 the political theatrics, Netanyahu stood exposed at the world’s biggest forum, more isolated than ever before.
His policy inflexibility has forced some of his past allies to abandon him. A growing number of Western countries now feel compelled to recognize Palestinian statehood. Countries like 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 US, opposed the declaration, reflecting 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 nations abstained during the vote.
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 Gaza war began.
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 US national interests has declined from 75 percent to 66 percent over the same period.
The US, Israel’s staunchest ally, is showing signs of fatigue. President Donald Trump said earlier that any attempt by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank would be a red line for him.
Netanyahu still has not received the message that the Western nations wanted to send through the long-awaited recognition of Palestinian statehood: that enough is enough; that Israel cannot have an indefinite license to kill; that there was a limit — and it has been crossed.
His speech, filled with 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 rooting for world peace, that was the most alarming element.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1348318-no-method-to-netanyahus-madness