{
  "id": 9734615,
  "title": "Netanyahu turned the UN into campaign theater – but will Israelis buy the show?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/netanyahu-turned-the-un-into-campaign-theater-but-will-israelis-buy",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T08:38:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-909631"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to New York on Wednesday with the intention of creating a campaign image for Israel's upcoming election, but he couldn't arrange a meeting with US President Donald Trump. The UN podium was one image he could achieve, speaking before a green marble backdrop in flawless English, yet the Trump meeting proved elusive. Trump was set to be in Washington with Chinese President Xi Jinping, leaving Netanyahu with a tight schedule to return to Israel before the Jewish holiday of Sukkot began.\n\nUnlike previous leaders, such as Ariel Sharon, who typically left foreign trips early on Shabbat, Netanyahu often remained abroad on the Jewish Sabbath, as he did this time. While some might view this as a snub, Netanyahu's team emphasized that the UN photograph was the more valuable of the two for the campaign. Netanyahu has addressed the UN General Assembly 15 times as prime minister, each speech tailored for a specific audience – diplomats, the international public, or the Israeli public. In 2012, he used the podium to reach international public opinion directly, a technique that proved effective just weeks before a US presidential election.\n\nIn the current campaign, Netanyahu's UN speech is seen as a powerful tool for diplomatic purposes, while the Trump photograph may carry less weight. Trump's approval among the Israeli public has significantly decreased, with a July poll showing only 28% of Israelis believing his security considerations were a top priority. As a result, the political value of another handshake with Trump might be diminished compared to Netanyahu's previous UN addresses.",
  "summary": "NATIONAL AFFAIRS: The prime minister presents himself on the global stage as a leader uniquely equipped to defend Israel in a hostile world, seeking to bring that same message home to Israeli voters.",
  "key_points": [
    "Netanyahu used UN podium for campaign image, bypassing Trump meeting",
    "Trump's approval among Israelis dropped to 28% in July poll",
    "Netanyahu's UN speeches tailored for specific audiences"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}