Netanyahu Told the UN the Truth—but Who Is Israel Trusting?

Benjamin Netanyahu stepped to the podium of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday and faced a hall of empty chairs. Most delegates had walked out the moment he rose. He was ready for them:

Mr. President, before I begin, just a quick announcement: If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now.

The United States stayed. A handful of other nations stayed. The rest of the world did what it always does when Israel’s leader speaks plainly about evil: It left.

Why it matters: The nations cannot bear to hear the truth about Iran and its terrorist proxies. But behind Netanyahu’s bravado lies a problem even more dangerous than the world’s hatred—one the prophets of God warned about centuries ago.

What he said:

• Iran remains the chief threat to the world and to the Jewish people.

• “With our great American friends,” Israel “crushed Iran’s army, navy, air force and nuclear facilities.”

• Hezbollah’s arsenal of 150,000 missiles and rockets aimed at Israeli civilians? “They’re gone.” He reminded the hall of Israel’s exploding-pager operation.

• Anti-Semitism is global, he said, citing the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney.

Notably absent: He mentioned President Donald Trump only once and offered no new evidence on Iran’s nuclear program, despite officials promising he would.

Then came the roll call of the dead:

The arch-terrorists, the worst mass murderers on Earth, not only killing Israelis, killing Americans, killing Brits, killing citizens of dozens of countries—Khamenei, Dief, Sinwar, Haniyeh and Nasrallah, and thousands of other terrorists who sought to destroy us—they’re all gone too.

Behind the bravado:

• Election season: Israelis vote in one month. This speech was aimed at voters at home. Polls show Netanyahu is still the front-runner.

• Israelis want more, not less: After October 7 and surging West Bank violence, most Israelis stand to the right of Netanyahu. They want an even stronger leader.

• Iran is deterred—for now: It has struck the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia through the Houthis and hit Jordan heavily. But it has not fired on Israel.

• No White House visit: Netanyahu flew in, spoke, and flew out.

The real problem: Is Iran finished? No. Bible prophecy is clear that radical Islam will not be broken by Israel or the United States. Daniel 11:40 reveals that the “king of the south”—Iran—will push at the “king of the north,” a German-led Europe, which will come against it “like a whirlwind.”

Meanwhile, watch where Israel is turning. It depends on America for the munitions it cannot make itself. And just days ago, Germany delivered yet another submarine to the Jewish state—12 years in the making.

The Prophet Hosea foretold that after breaking with America, Judah would look to Europe for protection:

“When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound” (Hosea 5:13).

This is Israel’s ancient sin. King Hezekiah nearly fell trusting Egypt before he turned to God. King Zedekiah ran to Egypt for help against Babylon—and Jerusalem burned. God’s verdict never changes:

“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots … but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!” (Isaiah 31:1).

The warning: Netanyahu showed real moral courage at the UN. But courage without God is not enough. Israel is leaning on America today and courting Germany tomorrow—and Jesus Christ warned where that leads: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh” (Luke 21:20). Those armies will not be Arab. They will be European—the very ally Judah is embracing.

Why can’t Israel see it? Why can’t we?

“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:5).

The good news is that this crisis ends with Christ’s feet standing “upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east” (Zechariah 14:4). But until Israel—and all of us—trust God alone for protection, the worst is still ahead.