Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN speech was not just a disagreement with his allies; it was a fundamental attack on their moral judgment. By calling their recognition of Palestine “horribly wrong” and a “disgraceful decision,” he was effectively telling them that their moral compass is broken.
He argued that in their rush to support Palestinian self-determination, countries like the UK, France, and Canada had lost sight of the clear distinction between right and wrong. They had, in his view, chosen to reward the perpetrators of the October 7 attacks, thereby becoming enablers of terrorism.
This is an incredibly serious charge to level against friendly nations. It moves the disagreement from the realm of policy to the realm of fundamental values. It is a claim that these established democracies have failed a basic test of good versus evil.
Such rhetoric makes future cooperation extremely difficult. Diplomacy requires a baseline of mutual respect, even amidst disagreements. By accusing his allies of moral failure on the world’s biggest stage, Netanyahu may have burned bridges that will be very difficult to rebuild.