Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to New York next week to address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, his office said on Monday.
Netanyahu had reportedly considered skipping this year’s gathering but decided to attend, viewing the speech as a platform to lay out Israel’s position on the war, regional security and mounting international pressure on the Jewish state. He is expected to return to Israel in time for the Sukkot holiday, which begins the day after his address.
The trip follows a July 27 visit to Washington, where Netanyahu met President Donald Trump for talks he said would focus on “all the issues on the agenda, foremost among them Iran.” Netanyahu said the goal was “to maintain our security and also to expand the circle of peace” around Israel.
New York City is tightening security and closing streets around UN headquarters ahead of High-Level Week. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly encouraged protests against Netanyahu’s visit, drawing sharp criticism from the Israeli leader’s allies.