In his first address at the United Nations since the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed to portray Iran as the main antagonist in the Middle East conflict. Displaying two maps during his speech at the UN General Assembly, he categorized one group of countries as 'The Curse' and another as 'The Blessing'. This picture has become an internet sensation.
Interestingly, both maps showed Palestinian territories - the West Bank and Gaza - as part of Israel. In the viral picture from the UN General Assembly, the map on Netanyahu's right hand depicted Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen in black, labeling them as 'The Curse'. The map on his left hand depicted Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and India in green, marking them as 'The Blessing'.
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The Golan Heights region in Syria was also shown as part of Israel in Netanyahu's displayed map. Known for using props in the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu's gesture was seen as an effort to highlight Israel's growing ties with neighboring Arab countries. It’s worth mentioning that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first global leaders to condemn the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2024. However, India has called for a complete ceasefire in the region and supports a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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During his address at the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu, waving the 'The Curse' and 'The Blessing' maps, said, “The world must choose between blessings and curses.” He targeted Iran, accusing it of arming and aiding extremist organizations, urging the global community to stop appeasing such countries. Netanyahu remarked, “My message to Tehran is simple: if you attack us, we will strike back. There is no place in Iran where Israel cannot reach, and this holds true for the entire Middle East.”
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The Middle East crisis has deepened with Israel's heavy bombings on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. Netanyahu also warned the Palestinians, stating that Israel desires peace in the world. The Israeli Prime Minister said, “The Palestinians should stop spreading hatred towards Jews and should come to an agreement with Israel.” Since the assassination of Hamas Political Wing Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran in July this year, an open conflict between Israel and its arch-rival Iran has been looming. In April, Iran had directly attacked Israel for the first time following an assault on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria.
