Benjamin Netanyahu is due to deliver a defiant speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday during a visit shaped by protest and political distance.

The Guardian reported that the trip is expected to last less than 24 hours and that President Donald Trump and senior US officials were not expected to meet Netanyahu. The Israeli delegation also had no planned meeting with congressional leaders, according to Israel’s ambassador to the UN.

The visit comes as criticism of Israel’s policies is widening across US politics and internationally. The issues include Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and reconstruction, settlement expansion in the West Bank, and Israel’s continuing conflicts with Lebanon and Iran.

Netanyahu’s ambassador said Israel hoped Hamas would disarm without a renewed Israeli offensive, but added that Israel would act itself if that did not happen. That statement leaves the possibility of renewed military action hanging over the diplomacy.

Protests began before Netanyahu arrived in New York. Demonstrators cited arms transfers and Israel’s conduct in Gaza, while Palestinian-American campaigner Aber Kawas said she planned to join protests against the speech.

The address will be judged not only by its language but by the alliances around it. A short visit, no White House meeting and public protest are all signals of a more contested diplomatic environment, even as Israel seeks to present its position at the centre of the UN stage.