NETANYAHU’S BRIEF NEW YORK VISIT HIGHLIGHTS STRAINS IN US-ISRAEL RELATIONS

September 24, 2026

NEW YORK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making an unusually brief visit to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, with his trip expected to last less than eight hours. The visit contrasts with his week-long US trip last year, which included a meeting with President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu’s office has listed meetings with nine foreign leaders during the visit, including the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama and Ethiopia, but has not announced a meeting with Trump or other senior US officials. Netanyahu’s office attributed the limited schedule to time constraints and the need to return to Israel before the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

The absence of a scheduled meeting with Trump comes amid differences between Washington and Jerusalem over the Gaza war and other regional issues. The two leaders have met repeatedly during Trump’s second term, but their governments have differed over aspects of the conflict, including Washington’s efforts to reduce its military involvement in the region.

The visit also comes ahead of Israel’s October 27 general election and amid growing diplomatic pressure over the Gaza war and West Bank settlement policy. Britain, France and Canada recently announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank, while US public support for Israel has declined since the Gaza conflict began, particularly among Democrats.