Israel’s battlefield successes over three years have not yet produced the diplomatic leverage expected. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly as Israel faces increasing isolation even while regional threats intensify. Shortcomings in foreign-policy leadership limit Israel’s ability to convert military gains into strategic partnerships. The entry of the INS Drakon submarine could shift naval balances and deepen ties with Greece and Cyprus, but urgent diplomatic outreach is required.
Netanyahu Heads To UN Amid Diplomatic Isolation Despite IDF Gains
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Israel should be standing in a far stronger diplomatic position after three years of war. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have recorded notable military gains, but those battlefield achievements have not yet been converted into the political and strategic recognition that could deepen Israel's security partnerships.
Diplomatic Context
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Historically, New York provides an opportunity for heads of state and defence delegations to hold a flurry of bilateral meetings — a chance to turn military leverage into diplomatic influence. This year, however, Israel faces growing isolation at a moment of violent regional realignment.
Regional Security Dynamics
Across the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf, states are recalibrating alliances and military postures. The United States appears to be reassessing its footprint in the region while European capitals confront a changed threat environment that includes a resurgent Russia, an assertive Iran, and migration pressures linked to Islamist movements. Israel possesses capabilities that could help European and regional partners address these shared challenges and strengthen stability.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu walk together during Netanyahu's visit to Washington, February 5, 2025 (credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO)
Constraints on Israeli Diplomacy
Domestically, Israel’s ability to pursue a coherent foreign-policy agenda is being constrained by political arrangements. Critics note the absence of a full-time defence minister and an effectively empowered foreign minister, and they argue that many senior posts are occupied by political appointees rather than experienced diplomats or strategic thinkers. Without stronger diplomatic leadership, battlefield gains cannot be fully translated into lasting strategic partnerships.
Strategic Opportunity: INS Drakon
Adding to the strategic picture, the INS Drakon — Israel’s sixth submarine — is due to enter Israeli waters this week. Described by officials as one of the most expensive defence systems Israel has procured, the Drakon is expected to influence regional naval balances. Analysts say the submarine could deepen ties with Greece and Cyprus and provide capabilities that would help countries such as Egypt and Italy respond to Turkish assertiveness over maritime zones and Ankara’s activities in Libya.
Open Flashpoints
Two arenas remain especially volatile: the confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi movement in Yemen, and the broader US–Iran tensions that revolve around the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran’s nuclear program, and the stability of the Iranian regime. Both theaters have potential spillover effects that could draw in regional and extra‑regional powers.
What Israel Needs To Do
To break out of diplomatic isolation, Israel needs a sequence of targeted diplomatic initiatives and stronger, more coherent foreign-policy leadership. That includes rebuilding relationships with key Western and regional partners, highlighting shared security interests with Europe, and converting operational military advances into sustainable strategic cooperation.
Photo note: US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were photographed together during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington on February 5, 2025 (credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO).
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