JERUSALEM (JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will represent Israel at the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Netanyahu decided it would be better if he represented the Jewish state rather than Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who the world community views as an extremist, the Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported, citing diplomatic sources in New York.
Ariel Sharon was the last Israeli prime minister to address the opening ceremony. In recent years, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has handled the job.
The opening session is scheduled for Sept. 23 in New York.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.