Netanyahu Consolidates Support, Presses Hamas at UNGA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his New York visit for the UN General Assembly to hold bilateral meetings with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, Argentine President Javier Milei, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and a senior UAE official to shore up diplomatic, security and economic ties and to discuss post-war Gaza roles. With Peña the leaders pledged deeper cooperation on security, technology, energy and trade; Paraguay reiterated support at the UN and ICC and promoted increased trade and investment. In talks with Vučić Netanyahu discussed expanding security and trade ties and thanked Serbia for support in efforts to free hostages, including a dual national, while he praised Milei as a steadfast friend and discussed expanding economic cooperation. Mayor Adams publicly thanked Netanyahu for “defending the Western world,” reiterated Israel’s right to self-defense and warned against calls for the death of Jews; mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani sharply criticized Netanyahu and condemned Adams and Andrew Cuomo’s ties to him. In his UN address Netanyahu broadcast a direct message into Gaza urging Hamas to “free the hostages now or lose your lives” and condemned Western leaders recognizing a Palestinian state as rewarding terror. Reports said Israel expects the UAE to play a major role in post-war Gaza even as Gulf states expressed anger over a suspected botched Israeli strike in Qatar and warned against West Bank annexation.