Israel’s tensions with Western countries over its genocidal war on Gaza and Lebanon and its actions in the occupied West Bank have followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to New York for the UN General Assembly.
Netanyahu’s announced schedule includes meetings with the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama and Ethiopia, Colombia’s vice president, and the prime ministers of Greece, Slovenia and Papua New Guinea.
It includes no meetings with US or other Western leaders, however.
Netanyahu was unable to arrange a meeting with US President Donald Trump, while a planned meeting with Elon Musk was cancelled. His schedule also does not include meetings with US political figures.
Growing international isolation
Israel’s diplomatic isolation has grown after France, the UK, Canada and other countries recognised the State of Palestine at last year’s UN General Assembly amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
Ahead of October 27 elections, Israel also advanced the illegal E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, drawing objections from Western countries, particularly the UK. The project would separate occupied East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank and divide the territory’s north from its south.
Twelve Western countries, including the UK, France and Canada, imposed sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, while others signalled plans to follow.
Israel responded to British sanctions by closing the UK Consulate serving Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, expelling British representatives from Kiryat Gat and ending British participation in training Palestinian Authority security forces.
It also barred 12 British nationals, mostly lawmakers, from entering Israel.
‘Humiliating visit’
Alon Liel, a retired Israeli ambassador and former foreign ministry official, told Anadolu that Netanyahu’s trip was unprecedented.
“There has never been such a humiliating visit to the UN for an Israeli prime minister,” Liel said, arguing that Israel’s international standing had deteriorated since October 2023.
He said Western recognition of Palestine had dealt Netanyahu a greater blow than sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements, while describing the lack of US meetings as the biggest setback.
“Netanyahu can meet Argentine and Greek leaders, but he cannot meet any American politician or official,” Liel said.
Netanyahu’s plane is expected to land at a military airfield in New Jersey rather than New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, with reports citing security, logistical and protest concerns.
“This is definitely not a normal visit,” Liel said. “Even in the US, Netanyahu is acting like an unwanted person.”
