While Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN speech was delivered on a global stage, its primary audience may have been domestic. His calculated defiance, fiery rhetoric, and uncompromising stance on security are messages that resonate strongly with his right-wing base in Israel.
Facing a hall emptied by a diplomatic walkout, Netanyahu’s condemnation of the two-state solution as “sheer madness” and his vow to “finish the job” in Gaza play as strength and resolve back home. Lashing out at allies and the UN itself reinforces a narrative of Israel standing alone against a hostile world.
His ultimatum to Hamas—”surrender or die”—and his demand for the release of all 48 hostages are powerful messages for an Israeli public still traumatized by the October 7 attacks and weary of the long war.
Even the PR stunts, like the QR code and the claim of broadcasting in Gaza, can be seen as projecting an image of a proactive, tech-savvy leader in control. In this light, the international isolation on display at the UN becomes not a liability, but a political asset for a leader shoring up his support.