All Eyes On The U.N.
Friday September 26, 2025 – ד׳ תִּשְׁרֵי תשפ”ו
We are right in the middle of the 10 Days of Awe on the eve of Shabbat Shuva. We stand between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, between the book of life and the book of death, between what has been and what still might be. It is a time when we ask ourselves, ‘What now?’ How do we change? How do we return and repent?
And this year, nearly two years since October 7, the questions feel even more raw. The grief has not lifted. The wounds have not healed. Hostages remain in captivity. The war continues. The disaster in Gaza only increases. The trauma is palpable. Our people are divided.
These 10 days always bring an air of uncertainty, and many of us are feeling it more intensely this year. There is great anticipation over how and when the war can come to an end and the hostages be released, and much of that attention is, this week, focused on the United Nations.
As the UN gathers now for its annual General Assembly, much attention and discussion will be around Israel and the war in Gaza. It will not come as a surprise to anyone that the U.N. has been a hotbed of hostility towards Israel. This year’s UN General Assembly comes at a time when multiple countries have called for the recognition of a Palestinian State, of which Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are the latest (as of this writing). PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, speaking from Ramallah because he was denied a visa to the U.S., of course offered harsh words for Israel, but also denounced Hamas’ attack of October 7 and called on Hamas to surrender and give up their hold over Gaza (which they immediately rejected).
Prime Minister Netanyahu has, of course, flat-out rejected their pronouncements, a Palestinian state “will not happen”, and that those endorsing Palestinian statehood following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel are rewarding terrorism. Also, not surprising.
Dr. Tal Becker, a former representative of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the U.N. and peace negotiator, stated:
“If you’re going for recognition, why not link recognition to the release of hostages and Hamas relinquishing arms and power? Why not make Hamas the obstacle to recognition and not the midwife of a Palestinian State? It is clear that the result of many states recognizing a Palestinian State is that Hamas is celebrating the war as a victory.”
Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal shared the following:
“Let’s be clear, the recognition of a Palestinian State by numerous Western states really has very little to do with the Palestinians and should be understood as a rejection of Israeli policy and actions. It is a recognition out of spite. Palestinian statehood should not be a slap in the face to Israelis after October 7. It should be the result of compromise and negotiations, and hard work. The French, British, and Canadians are basically using it for their own domestic political needs.”
Yes, that is all true, but maybe there is an opportunity here. Rather than seeing these Western nations’ declaration on behalf of Palestinian statehood as an affront and then taking rash reactionary actions such as extending Israeli law to Judea and Samaria (aka the West Bank), why not, as the famous saying goes, תהיו חכמים ולא צודקים – be smart, not always right.
Israel’s leaders could spin the predicament in which Israel finds itself in the following way. Prime Minister Netanyahu could take the prime podium on the world stage and say a version of the following:
“To the more than 150 countries that have come out in recognition of a Palestinian State:
Wonderful. We sincerely thank you for taking this crucial step towards ending the war, bringing our hostages home, and fostering peace in the Middle East. It may seem obvious, but I’ll say it anyway. There is a saying in our tradition that “בין אמר ובין עשה ת”ק פרסה – Between saying [something] and doing it – there is a 500-mile-wide gulf.” You have SAID it clearly with your words, and now we invite you to back up your words with action.
With your recognition of a Palestinian State, we thank you for your commitment to the following four points:
- Security Guarantees – Explicit, enforceable agreements ensuring Israel’s safety, including demilitarization of a Palestinian state, the permanent renunciation of violence and a guarantee that Hamas will no longer rule in Gaza (or anywhere else).
- End of Conflict / End of Claims – A binding commitment from the Palestinian leadership that recognition of their state equals permanent recognition of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
- Normalization in the Arab World – Tangible steps from regional powers to deepen ties with Israel, economically and diplomatically, beyond the Abraham Accords, including taking the bulk of the funding commitments to rebuild Gaza.
- Accountability and Governance – Concrete reforms ensuring that a Palestinian state will not become another failed or terror-sponsoring entity.
- Taking in Gazan refugees: There’s no question that the situation in Gaza is dire, and every Arab and Islamic state, and possibly European as well, ought to take in a fair portion of the Gazan refugees.
As you may be aware, even the leaders of seven Arab countries said that “We reaffirm our commitment to cooperate with President Trump and emphasize the importance of his leadership to end the war and open horizons for a just and lasting peace,” and his plan has 21 points! Thank you very much, and we sincerely appreciate your support and commitment to the Palestinian people and the State of Israel at this critical moment.
While you all are working on that, I, as the Prime Minister of Israel, in close collaboration with our greatest ally, the President of the United States, am committing to the following:
- We, as the Jewish State, will no longer pursue an annexationist agenda. I have informed those members of our cabinet that if they continue to attempt to impose the most extreme policies, then we will consider forming a unity government or holding new elections. Either way, they got the message.
- We will ensure an increase in humanitarian aid, including food, water, medicine, and hygiene supplies, and will work in cooperation with humanitarian NGOs to stabilize the situation in Gaza.
- We will work to curb Jewish settler violence in Judea and Samaria and enforce the rule of law there.
- Once the Palestinian State is established on agreed-upon borders, we will offer our recognition and begin a process of economic, security, and environmental partnerships.
Sincerely,
Prime Minister Netanyahu
While we all know this is unlikely to be the content of the Prime Minister’s speech this morning, we do know that more and more countries will join the bandwagon of recognition. As we prepare to stand before God and one another, it would be better not to do so alone.
Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Chatimah Tovah.