So, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently made his 15th address at the United Nations General Assembly. I get excited with every speech, preparing some lightly buttered popcorn and comfortably settling in front of the TV for some high-stakes geopolitical positioning. And this one didn’t miss the mark – and the high bar Netanyahu sets for himself.
I liked when he referred to our “friends” leaving the hall before he spoke. Asking, and smirking, at the beginning of his speech if there are any other “moral cowards” who would like to leave. He could have – and maybe should have – said much worse.
Liked his strong defence against the acrimonious, hostile and simply incorrect accusation of genocide, insisting, with examples, of Israel being guilty of the opposite. Supplying a million doses of polio vaccinations. Enabling the distribution of two million tons of food. Providing advance warnings of pending attacks – leaflets, cellphone calls, “knocks on the roof” (an Israel Defence Forces tactic of firing non-lethal projectiles towards rooftops as a warning to noncombatants to evacuate before a pending airstrike) in civilian areas where Hamas is inevitably hiding. Netanyahu referenced Col. John Spencer, head of urban warfare studies at West Point and the preeminent expert on, well, urban warfare, who clearly defends Israel as having done more to prevent civilian casualties in war than any other military in history. That’s quite a claim! Israel could be guilty of “ediconeg,” the opposite of genocide.
I didn’t like Netanyahu’s Ben-Gviresque defence of violent settlers in the West Bank or Judea and Samaria. I didn’t like him referring to these settlers as “juvenile delinquents.” They are much more than that. Much! If not terrorists, they should at least be called and treated as violent criminals. I admittedly struggle with finding the appropriate label. But I digress. Overall, this section of Netanyahu’s speech struck me as pandering to his far-right electorate during an election period. Standing before the green marble wall of the UN podium – not the most appropriate venue for local electioneering.
Also didn’t like his beeper reference. Was a bit too “yesterday.” While brilliant, the pager attack in Lebanon happened in September 2024. I was so taken aback by this reference that I fact-checked the date between mouthfuls of popcorn. Israel has already taken credit for this act publicly and at several international forums. The reference just seemed a bit dated, forced and out of place.
Liked the swipe at our “friend” Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York City. On the podium of the UN in NY no less!
Liked his call for Jews around the world to stand tall. “Raise your head high. Be proud. Be confident. Don’t be intimidated. Stand up,” he admonished. OK, confession time for me. I will not speak Hebrew with the wife when I am traveling overseas. I am a bit scared and maybe need to stand a bit taller. I digress.
Liked Netanyahu’s callout to the Iranian people. His play on words, declaring that “the power of the people will overcome the people in power.” Although he didn’t have to provide a public service announcement for Elon Musk’s Starlink, waving a Starlink device at the podium. An unnecessary gimmick.
Didn’t like, as pointed out by the Jerusalem Post, that there was no complementary vision to his fiery, hardline and somewhat Sparta-like rhetoric. No mention of a more conciliatory, Athenia-like vision for the day after, emphasizing Israel’s desire for peace and what it can and has offered the world.
But loved the overall theme of his speech – that Israel will survive, and thrive, because, as he exclaimed several times, “We have no other choice!” This was based on a reference in his address to his older brother, Yonatan Netanyahu, who led the rescue at Entebbe in 1976 and was the only Israeli casualty. Netanyahu even thanked the Uganda government for recently erecting a statue dedicated to his brother. This was a nice, personal touch.
Loved Netanyahu’s passion. His fierce indignation echoing throughout his almost 40-minute speech. His fury at the outrageous, bigoted, noxious branding of Israel as “bad” by most of the world’s useful idiots. Although, again, I think he should have channeled some of that ire to a more conciliatory day-after vision.
As for the United Nations, that bastion of partiality and moral cowardice. I think it should be renamed the United Naars, naar being Yiddish for fool. Again, I digress.
Bruce Brown is a Canadian and an Israeli. He made aliyah … a long time ago. He works in Israel’s high-tech sector by day and, in spurts, is a somewhat inspired writer by night. Brown is a two-time winner of the AJPA Rockower Award for excellence in writing, and wrote the 1998 satire An Israeli is…. Brown reflects on life in Israel – political, social, economic and personal.
