Becoming the 4th Israeli in history to be elected to the UN position, Amb. Danny Danon will participate in setting assembly’s agenda, oversee rules during sessions.

By i24NEWS

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon was on Wednesday elected as vice president of the General Assembly’s 72nd Session, becoming the fourth Israeli in history to be elected to the position.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon holding a photo of Yoela Chen, an Israeli victim of a terrorist attack orchestrated by jailed terrorist, Marwan Barghouti. – Photo: UN/Rick Bajornas

As part of his role, Danon is to chair General Assembly meetings, participate in setting the assembly’s agenda, and oversee rules and decorum during sessions.

“Is it an honor to represent the State of Israel in this leadership position at the Untied Nations,” Danon said. “We have proven once again that Israel is ready and able to serve in significant position in the UN and the attempts to block this progress will not succeed.”

His term will begin when the new General Assembly session opens in September.

Danon became the first Israeli to chair a permanent UN committee in May 2016, when he was elected to chair the Sixth (Legal) Committee.

Abba Eban, Dan Gillerman, and Ron Prosor were the previous Israelis to hold the position of General Assembly vice president.

Danon and other Israeli officials often criticize United Nations bodies for what they say is a clear anti-Israel bias evidenced by resolutions passed in the Security Council and Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

In early May, for example, the UN’s cultural agency passed a resolution criticizing Israeli policy in Jerusalem whose wording alarmed Israeli officials and which Danon called a “biased and blatantly deceitful decision”.

Israel’s UN Envoy, Amb. Danny Danon Met with US Ambassador Nikki Haley – Photo: U.S. Mission to the UN

United States Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has won applause from the Israeli government for pledging to stand up to what she has termed “Israel-bashing” at the United Nations.

She has condemned a Security Council resolution demanding that Israel halt the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank a “terrible mistake.”

Haley is set to visit Israel on June 7 to 9, when she will hold meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and visit a UN peacekeeping mission in the region.

View original i24NEWS publication at:
http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/146693-170531-israeli-un-envoy-elected-general-assembly-vice-president