Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York Thursday morning ahead of his scheduled address to the United Nations General Assembly later in the day. During his brief visit, he is also expected to hold meetings with several foreign leaders.

For security reasons, Netanyahu’s Wing of Zion aircraft departed overnight from an airbase in southern Israel. The Prime Minister’s Office did not publish video footage of his departure.

Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly at 9 p.m. Israel time, or 2 p.m. Eastern Time. His office said the prime minister will also meet with several international leaders during a visit expected to last only a few hours.

The Prime Minister’s Office did not mention any planned meetings with US officials, including President Donald Trump.

According to his office, Netanyahu is expected to meet the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Panama and Ethiopia, as well as Colombia’s vice president and the prime ministers of Greece, Slovenia and Papua New Guinea.

Netanyahu’s office said that numerous foreign leaders had expressed interest in meeting with him, but his limited schedule prevented him from seeing everyone. He is expected to return to Israel before the Sukkot holiday begins Friday evening.

Netanyahu is expected to use his UN speech to respond to criticism from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has referred to the Israeli prime minister as a war criminal. The dispute comes as Netanyahu faces political challenges ahead of Israel’s upcoming election.

In a video statement earlier this week, Netanyahu addressed Mamdani directly, saying he was traveling to New York “to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers” and “to tell the truth about you.” Netanyahu also accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas terrorists, an allegation Mamdani rejects.

Mamdani campaigned for mayor on a pledge to seek Netanyahu’s arrest for alleged war crimes if the Israeli leader traveled to New York City. He later said he had concluded that he did not possess the legal authority to make such an arrest. This week, Mamdani called Netanyahu “the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians.”

Netanyahu has rejected allegations that he committed war crimes. This will be his first trip to New York since Mamdani became mayor in January.

Netanyahu Not Expected to Meet Trump

Netanyahu’s trip to the United States is considerably shorter than his previous visits for UN appearances. After arriving early Thursday and delivering his address in the afternoon, he is expected to return to Israel later the same day.

Two Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said earlier that Netanyahu’s team had been considering possible meetings with senior American officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, no such meetings had been finalized.

Trump is notably absent from Netanyahu’s expected schedule. The two leaders jointly launched a war against Iran on February 28 with the stated objectives of weakening Iran’s military capabilities, addressing threats including its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and “create the conditions” for the Iranian people to topple the regime, according to Israeli military and political officials.

Relations subsequently became more complicated after the United States and Iran reached an interim ceasefire agreement that Netanyahu opposed.

Israel Faces Growing International Pressure

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has frequently used his UN appearances to present visual materials. In previous speeches, he has used charts, diagrams and other props to highlight what he describes as the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran maintains that its nuclear activities are intended for civilian purposes.

During last year’s UN appearance, several delegations left the chamber as Netanyahu approached the podium, while his supporters in the gallery applauded.

Goren said Netanyahu is likely to rely on themes he has repeatedly emphasized: defending Israel, responding to international criticism and warning about Iran. He is also expected to argue that Israel’s confrontation with Tehran benefits the broader international community.

According to Goren, Netanyahu will probably also emphasize what he considers his accomplishments and his close relationship with Trump and the United States.

Israel has experienced increasing diplomatic pressure since the Hamas-led October 7 attack and the war that followed.

Netanyahu is also unable to travel freely to numerous countries because of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him and his then-defense minister in 2024 over alleged war crimes. Arrest warrants were also issued at the time for the Hamas leaders then being investigated by the court.

Earlier this month, Britain, France and Canada, countries that have historically maintained close relations with Israel, announced sanctions connected to Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. Washington responded to those measures without announcing comparable action.