UNITED NATIONS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply shortened his upcoming New York visit, limiting his stay in the United States to only a few hours on Thursday and planning to return to Israel the same evening after addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Israeli media reported on Wednesday that the decision to avoid an overnight stay followed security warnings presented to Netanyahu in recent discussions with Israeli security officials.

Channel 13 reported that security officials had recommended against extending the prime minister’s stay in the US after discussions held in recent days, some of which Netanyahu attended. The “intelligence picture” presented during those meetings included specific warnings that led officials to recommend shortening the visit, the report said, without disclosing the nature of the warnings.

Under the revised itinerary, Netanyahu is expected to leave Israel late Wednesday, arrive in the New York area on Thursday morning, address the UN General Assembly at about 2pm New York time (11pm PST) and leave for Israel later that day.

Israeli media had already reported that the planned visit was being cut substantially after a scheduled stop in Texas to meet Tesla CEO and businessman Elon Musk was canceled. An Israeli advance team had reportedly reached Texas to prepare for the meeting before the stop was called off.

The shortened itinerary also does not include a meeting with US President Donald Trump. US officials have cited scheduling difficulties, with Netanyahu not included among the leaders currently scheduled to meet Trump during the UN gathering.

The Israeli prime minister’s unusually brief visit comes amid heightened security and the expectation of demonstrations in New York over Israel’s military operations in Gaza and its policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It also follows increasingly sharp exchanges between Netanyahu and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani has publicly described Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and accused him of responsibility for what he calls genocide against Palestinians. Netanyahu, in turn, has accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas and said he intends to use his UN appearance to defend Israel and counter what he describes as false narratives about its military actions.

The International Criminal Court issued (ICC) an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in Nov 2024, alleging responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the Gaza conflict.

The ICC also issued a warrant for then-Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The court’s official record said the allegations included starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally directing attacks against civilians, murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.

The issue acquired particular significance in New York because of Mamdani’s earlier calls for Netanyahu to be arrested under the ICC warrant. US President Donald Trump has said Netanyahu would not be arrested in the United States.

The current visit should also be distinguished from video footage circulating on social media and in some media reports, showing diplomats leaving the UN General Assembly during Netanyahu’s speech.

That footage is not from the 81st General Assembly.

A verification by Spain’s RTVE found that widely circulated footage, showing delegations walking out as Netanyahu approached the UN podium, was recorded during his address to the 80th General Assembly on Sept 26, 2025. The UN’s archive confirmed that Netanyahu addressed the session on the date.

The distinction is significant because the old footage has been recirculated during the current UN week as if it showed events surrounding Netanyahu’s 2026 appearance. The footage is genuine, but it is from last year and should not be presented as current images of Thursday’s speech.

The 81st UNGA general debate began on Sept 22 and continues until Sept 28. Netanyahu is scheduled to address the Assembly on Thursday (today).

His visit, therefore, is expected to consist essentially of one appearance at the UN followed by an immediate return to Israel, with no overnight stay, no scheduled meeting with Trump and no previously planned Texas stop with Musk.