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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had his turn in front of the UN General Assembly yesterday, and today is Benjamin Netanyahu's. The Israeli prime minister will press for a "clear red line" on Iran and its nuclear ambitions, Reuters reports. Though some Israelis were disappointed that President Obama didn't issue an ultimatum during his UN address, the Israeli official says that Netanyahu will suggest "Israel and the United States can work together to achieve their common goal."
- But a new report is undercutting Netanyahu's calls for tougher sanctions against Iran. The Israeli government report finds that international sanctions are already hitting Iran hard, contradicting Netanyahu, the AP reports. In addition, Israel's foreign minister thinks Iran will see its own Arab Spring-esque popular revolt within the next year—meaning Israel may not actually need to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, as Netanyahu has warned it might.
- Also today at the General Assembly: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose speech will not be as attention-grabbing as last year's, BusinessWeek reports. Though Abbas' application for statehood recognition made him a hero to Palestinians, it "cost them a lot" diplomatically, says an expert. This year, Abbas will seek just a small upgrade in UN status, from observer entity to non-member state.
