"Historic," is what the prime minister's bureau opted to call Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly two days ago. And it was certainly historic, though in a different meaning from the one he (or his advisor) had in mind. Rather than his address resonating, two separate matters echoed, negatively accentuating Israel's "historic" predicament.
The first matter was the conspicuous, organized departure of dozens of ambassadors from the plenary hall the moment Netanyahu began speaking at the podium. This was admittedly an act of hypocrisy – even Iran garnered more support – but it spoke to Israel's current status in the international arena. Anyone who believes the UN is irrelevant is mistaken; this action is supported by a sequence of measures and boycotts that currently endanger Israel in every potential sphere – from trade to sports, from culture to academia.
The second matter was the loudspeakers installed in Gaza to allow its Palestinian inhabitants to listen to the address. This was a maneuver that demonstrated a complete loss of composure and total loss of direction, both by Netanyahu and his advisors who are fixated on stunts, and equally by the IDF, which collaborated and jeopardized soldiers with this foolish endeavor. There is absolutely no inherent value in this mission, whose legitimacy is dubious and whose logic is absent given its lack of concrete impact on the intended audience.
A speech devoid of hope
The speech itself was a complex masterpiece, but it prompted somber reflections. For example, regarding the disparity between the complimentary reference to the 20 living hostages (and what about the others?), and the cold and detached attitude their families encounter from Netanyahu and his inner circle. Or concerning the barcode leading to the atrocity video, which appeared considerably late and after the world had already moved on.
More than anything, two elements were absent from the address: hope and initiative. The world seeks both of these, and so do the majority of Israelis. Netanyahu offers them only an apocalypse – immediately, and continuing forward – and finds himself, in exchange, with Tonga and Papua standing with him. There is very little wisdom in this approach. Israel has cornered itself into a perilous situation where it wavers between absolute isolation and an imposed resolution, or perhaps even a blend of both.
The key leverage, as ever, is held by President Donald Trump, the core principles of whose plan were released at the end of the week and fall short of Israel's demands threshold. Netanyahu is trapped: if he persuades Donald Trump to stand with him, meaning he manages to delay the plan, he will intensify the global boycott against Israel. If he aligns with Donald Trump, he risks losing his supporting coalition base, which persisted in sounding "annexation now" messages recently while Trump clearly indicated that there is no chance of that occurring.
To assume command
Netanyahu is the paramount political Houdini of our time, and he has navigated out of impossible circumstances previously. But even Houdini perished after taking an unforeseen blow, and Netanyahu – and Israel – must not risk a similar outcome. Upon his arrival at the White House, he must embrace the counsel of senior members of the security establishment and several of his ministers, and take the reins back into his hands. The hostage agreement currently presented for consideration would constitute a beneficial starting point allowing for a break and a calming of tensions, following which the campaign can be managed in a more measured and effective way.
The answers will be known upon Netanyahu's return, on Tuesday. They are anticipated in the homes of the hostages, and in the homes of the fighters, and in every Israeli home engaged with the war and its repercussions, and also in quite a few homes worldwide – which are utterly weary of Israel's conflicts.
After the stunts have finished, the moment for actions has come. The individual who presented at the UN is not an entertainer, he is a prime minister, and we are not living in a movie. Israel will not achieve victory in the war through speeches or through loudspeakers, but through actions. And if it does not take action itself, others might do it for it – and detrimentally – very soon, and at a substantial cost.
