Master Of The Bluff
Netanyahu's UN Speech Was a PR Disaster
When you cannot justify your own contradictions, you parade military victories and rail against the world’s hypocrisy. But that does nothing to repair Israel’s fractured image in the eyes of the international community.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a skilled orator. But his recent address to the United Nations revealed the deeper problem that no words can fix: Israel’s policy and actions remain incoherent and contradictory.
Trying to defeat Hamas? Yet feeding it with millions of tons of aid.
Trying to save Gaza’s population from siege? Yet refusing to let them leave.
Trying to bring the hostages home? Yet avoiding a crushing military campaign.
It is all a bluff, designed only to extend Bibi’s tenure.
On Gaza, Israel continues to drift.
The government has effectively locked the Gazan population in place instead of making a clear decision, either expulsion or conquest - but not feeding them with millions of ton to be stolen by Hamas getting stronger.
Regardless, Netanyahu keeps refusing to take even preliminary steps toward advancing the Trump relocation or peace plan. I believe, sadly, at this stage, two years into the war, that Netanyahu is in fact using the hostages issue as a pretext to extend the war, and avoid the ending of his own tenure.
Rather than projecting vision, the speech was centered on claims that the West is surrendering to Islam.
The West has indeed capitulated, while Qatar and China are actively working to erode Israel’s support within American public opinion. But none of that excuses Netanyahu’s failure to reconcile Israel’s own contradictions. Which is exactly what needed explanation...
The UN stage demanded clarity. Instead, he left the world with the impression of a government unable, or unwilling, to define any sensible path.
Why remain mired in Gaza for two years? To shield his coalition from elections.
Why allow the hostage issue to dominate strategy disproportionately? To shield his coalition.
Why avoid decisive measures in Gaza? Because he fears actions that could fracture his coalition.
Israelis know that - Americans and Europeans? Less..
To his credit, Netanyahu did highlight Israel’s significant military achievements against an axis of evil bent on the country’s destruction, achievements that once seemed beyond reach.
Yet even these successes failed to resonate diplomatically. The world has not congratulated Israel or encouraged its fight. Instead, it continues to probe Israel’s every move, demanding explanations for policies that appear unreasonable and unsustainable.
By failing to provide those explanations, Netanyahu ensured that his UN speech, far from strengthening Israel’s position, underscored its current weakness and lack of wit.