On September 24, 2026, Bibi Netanyahu gave an approximately 40-minute speech at the UN General Assembly. More than 100 people in attendance from over 50 countries walked out as he began to speak. Of course, they then all went to watch him on TV to see what he was going to say. Bibi called them out from the dais, saying they were “moral cowards.” For me, it was the highlight of the speech. He took the fight directly to them instead of continuing the failed Israeli and diaspora effort to play defense and explain everything. We know they don’t care, don’t want to care, and won’t listen.
This was the opportunity for Bibi to play offense. To take the fight to those who lie about Israel. To those who empower Jew hatred. To those who are supporting the terrorists: Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran. He had the stage, and even those who walked out were watching on TV. He had the world’s attention and could have come out swinging. Instead, he continued to play defense, to continue playing the Jew hatred game.
In a different world, I wish Bibi had started by showing the Hamas 47-minute video from October 7th behind him. Let it run with subtitles and no sound during his entire speech. Then challenge those who walk out to stay and watch what they defend. It would have set the tone and tenor for a fiery speech where Bibi took the fight to the world instead of trying to defend Israel against the lies.
As the video ran behind him, he would have started with Genocide, pointing out briefly and succinctly that 3% of the Gazan population was killed in the war. That is not gencoide. Hamas themselves admitted 50,000 of the 70,000 killed were Hamas soldiers when they gave the widows military benefits. That the UN acceptable civilian to combatant ratio is 9:1 and Israel is well below that – somewhere between 1:1 and 2:1. He would have simply stated that anybody claiming Genocide is a liar and Jew hater and the facts support it. Done. Nothing more and no long explanation. No bringing in the Holocaust or other real genocides that are occuring that the world doesn’t care about because there are no Jews involved.
Then he would have gone into how horrible war is and how Israel never wants war but sometimes it is necesary. The destruction in Gaza is awful but was also required to demolish the terror tunnels Hamas built underneath them. There was no way to get to them without destroying what is on top. Hold Hamas responsible. He would have talked about the Board of Peace plan to rebuild Gaza and how as soon as Hamas surrendered their weapons the rebuilding would occur. He doesn’t need to say anything about Israel wanting or not wanting to take back Gaza as a part of Israel. He references the Board of Peace plan, endorses it as soon as Hamas is demilitarized and surrenders their weapons. The delay in reconstructing Gaza is due to Hamas failing to surrender their weapons.
The next part would be tricky because he would have to actually mean it and do something. He would address the settler violence (I call it terrorism but am not asking him to do that). He would state clearly that criminals exist in every country in the world—people who break the law. He could highlight Israel as a democracy and clearly state that these people are breaking the law and will be held accountable for what they do. They will be arrested. They will be prosecuted. They will face real consequences for their actions. However, he can’t say this unless he is going to actually do it. It would make Smotrich and Ben-Gvir angry, as they have been clear with their agenda and allowing this to occur to help them achieve their goal of annexing the West Bank and making Judea and Samaria part of Israel again. By taking an aggressive position that these are criminals and will be treated as such, Bibi could take the wind out of those who want to label this the new version of ‘genocide.’ Of course, this also means he has to do what he says, and with the election a month away, it’s unlikely he can do this and remain in power. He could begin to restore his legacy and do what is best for Israel, the Israeli people, and Jews in the diaspora. For him to say this, he would need to risk losing power to do what is right and what is best for Am Yisrael (the people of Israel/the Jews).
Since this is what I wish he had said, I am taking the liberty to include things that I know he never would actually say. The upcoming Israeli election will be the 10th one since the last election held for the leadership of the Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazen, is now in his 21st year of a 5 year term. How can you have peace with somebody like that? Addressing the UN, this is a time to call them out for their complicity in continuing to fund a government like this. To call them hypocrites. In his video address, Abbas both called in a genocidal war and that they needed a 2-state solution. Bibi could have taken the 2-state solution off the current table and placed it on a future table by address the issues with the PA. How the UN and Europe reward them for their ‘pay for slay’ policy and how their continued funding makes them complicit in every murder the terrorists commit. Complaining about the UN bias in their resolutions is tired and ineffective. Naming them as complicit in murders, specifically calling them terrorists as their employees took and housed hostages in Gaza. Naming Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories as UNRWA’s terrorist leader would be a powerful offensive move against the UN and the Jew haters.
Bibi could have listed the countries that walked out and that depend on Israel to defend them. He could have easily pointed out the hypocrisy of their actions and reality. He could have called out the U.K. and their boycott of products made in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) to help the Palestinian people. The last time they did this, SodaStream moved their factory into Israel proper. Who lost as a result? The Palestinian workers who lost their jobs and their above-average wages. Nobody cared to ask them if they wanted the factory moved because when they were asked, they said no. They stated it was a great company to work for that took care of them, paid them very well, and gave them paid time each day to go pray in a special prayer room created for them. Once again, the effort to ‘help’ the Palestinians will harm them. He could have told the world that if you really want to help them, demilitarize Hamas, defeat Hezbollah, topple the Iranian regime, and ensure regular and free elections for their leadership. Bibi could have laid a pathway and given hope that a 2-state solution COULD happen at SOME time in the FUTURE. And what needs to happen before anything would be possible without calling them ‘preconditions’.
Finally, Bibi could have addressed all the countries that are a part of the UN and what they are not doing to protect their Jewish citizens. He could have gone on the offensive, naming Canada, France, the UK, Spain, among others. He could have cited the rise of Jew hatred (intentionally not using the word antisemitism). He could have cited examples in each country and how they continue to enable acts of violence and hatred against their Jewish citizens. Hopes and prayers are not acceptable when you are part of creating what happens. He should have challenged them to do better and held them accountable for violating their ‘Western liberal values’ when it comes to their Jewish citizens.
Imagine this fiery speech, taking it to the UN and their member countries. All while the 47-minute Hamas video from October 7th played behind him, forcing them to see the brutality of Hamas. Forcing the truth to be seen. Not just by the UN and its member countries but the world. There is a reality in which Israel has no need to explain herself. It is clear the world doesn’t listen and doesn’t want to listen. It is time to play offense. We know that when the Arab countries come under attack, it is Israel they turn to for help. It won’t be too much longer until it is Europe that is under attack. Who will they turn to? Russia? China? The United States? None will do what is needed. No more apologizing. No more playing defense. The author Robert Crais writes a character named Joe Pike who has red forward arrow tattoos on both arms, reminding him that it’s about moving forward, attacking, not playing defense. It’s time for Israel to do the same on the world stage.
In another world, Bibi gave that blistering speech with the Hamas 47-minute video playing behind him. In that world, Israel took the offensive and put the world on notice. I wish I lived in that world.
