Bibi’s UN speech set to be a Mamdani showdown

In his upcoming United Nations address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to confront New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani over accusations of supporting Hamas. This feud underscores Netanyahu's growing isolation ahead of the upcoming Israeli elections, where he may face defeat. Speaking directly to Mamdani in a video statement, Netanyahu vowed to tell the truth about Israeli soldiers and his political rival during his first visit to New York since Mamdani's election in January.

Opposition to Netanyahu's right-wing government is rallying for protests in New York, and opinion polls suggest that Israel's long-awaited general election in five weeks could mark an end to Netanyahu's long tenure in power. The campaign is underway amid mounting criticism of Israel's Gaza war and without a scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren expects Netanyahu's speech to resemble a campaign speech, potentially rallying wavering voters by attacking both Mamdani and Iran. Netanyahu's visit to the US will be brief, with the prime minister expected to return to Israel on the same day after delivering his speech in the afternoon. He will meet with leaders from various countries, but no meetings with the US president are expected.

This absence, occurring just a month before the Israeli election, could negatively impact Netanyahu's campaign, indicating a potential negative reception from Trump and reflecting poorly on his presidency.