Amid Political Turmoil at Home, Netanyahu Nixes Planned UN General Assembly Trip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled his planned trip next week to New York where he was to address the UN General Assembly.

Netanyahu had been set to deliver one of his signature setpiece speeches to the world body, and was intending to meet on the sidelines of the gathering with US President Donald Trump.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz will speak in Netanyahu’s place.

According to Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot, the reason for Netanyahu’s decision was political. The prime minister does not want to be abroad next week when Israeli President Reuven Rivlin receives the official results of Tuesday’s election.

Immediately after getting the final vote tally, Rivlin will task an MK with forming a government.

Netanyahu is currently fighting for his political life after the election results showed his right-wing Likud party deadlocked with its rival centrist Blue and White party, and lacking enough mandates to form a majority government.