Addressing the UN General Assembly for the first time, US President Donald Trump did not mention the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Not one word on the issue in his extensive Sept. 19 speech about all the world’s problems, menaces and opportunities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the speech as if he had just heard the best musical concert of his life. Indeed, Trump’s words on revising the Iran deal, fighting Islamic terror and destroying North Korea were music to his ears — especially the silence on the Palestinian issue. In his own UN address, Netanyahu characterized the speech as the most pro-Israel one he had ever heard throughout his political career.
Netanyahu rejoiced over this speech, a far cry from former President Barack Obama’s diplomatic approach to conflict resolution and his striving for collective diplomacy, including within the United Nations. Trump's speech included no call for a two-state solution and no criticism of the settlements, unlike Obama's speeches. For a moment, while addressing the world from the UN podium and meeting with Israeli reporters, Netanyahu could forget the perils he left behind in Jerusalem, namely the two police investigations of which he is a suspect.
A senior Israeli diplomat who was part of Netanyahu’s New York delegation told Al-Monitor that Netanyahu was double-satisfied by his visit to New York. Not only did Netanyahu feel vindicated in the case he made to Trump about the Iranian regional threat and the irrelevance of the Palestinian issue, he also senses that he now has a free pass to pursue the diplomatic policies that will keep his right-wing government intact.
AL-MONITOR All-Access gives you unlimited access to all our journalism, the full Daily Briefing, exclusive interviews, premium newsletters, and live events — for less than $2/week.
