Netanyahu delivered his speech to a sparse audience because many delegates left the General Assembly hall in protest as he made his way towards the stage. The Israeli leader insisted that, despite the growing international pressure and condemnation of genocide, Israel must finish the job against Hamas in Gaza. Western leaders may have buckled under the pressure, he said. And I guarantee you one thing: Israel won't.
But we want our hostages back, and we don't want them back in, you know, ones and twos, and take the next two years to do it. We were the ones that got the hostages. And I always said, I told Steve, I told Marco, I was always saying the last hostages are going to be the toughest ones. But you can't honor them by doing anything like you suggest.
British officials fear Donald Trump could recognise Israeli control over illegal settlements on the West Bank in retaliation for the UK, France and others deciding to recognise Palestine. Government insiders believe the US president is considering granting official recognition to the Israeli communities there, which would be a serious blow to achieving a two-state solution. Some believe Trump could raise the prospect as soon as his speech at the UN on Tuesday despite Arab and western leaders having engaged in intense diplomacy to try to ensure this does not happen.
Arab and Muslim leaders are to meet Donald Trump in New York to discuss their plan for a UN-mandated international stabilisation force in Gaza after France joined the UK, Canada and Australia in recognising Palestine as a state. Israel has warned that it might respond to the recognition of Palestine by annexing the West Bank, citing claims from Hamas that recognition by allies of Israel was a victory for the terror group.
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Israel's president will visit London next Thursday just weeks before the UK is expected to recognise the state of Palestine at the UN general assembly, the Guardian understands.
Israel's next move will depend on the stance of President Trump, who blocked Israeli annexations twice in his first term. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Axios the administration doesn't yet have a position. "I don't know how extensive [the planned annexation] is. I'm not sure there is common view inside the Israeli government about where would it be and how much," he said. Some Israeli officials claim the Trump administration won't oppose annexation because they're so angry at the countries planning to recognize Palestine.
