Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN address was a masterclass in political theater, employing props and what his office claimed were psychological warfare tactics. The Israeli Prime Minister encouraged viewers to scan a QR code linking to footage of the October 7 attacks, a direct appeal to emotion that bypassed diplomatic protocol.
His office also alleged that the speech was broadcast on telephones in Gaza that had been hijacked by Israeli intelligence. This claim, which reporters on the ground could not verify, was part of an effort to project power and sow discord among his adversaries.
The content of the speech was as provocative as its delivery. Netanyahu vowed to “finish the job” in Gaza, rejected Palestinian statehood as “sheer madness,” and issued an ultimatum to Hamas leaders. This message was delivered to a mostly empty hall, as over 100 diplomats had walked out in protest.
The combination of high-tech props, unverified claims, and aggressive rhetoric paints a picture of a leader using every tool at his disposal to fight a war on multiple fronts: military, diplomatic, and informational.