BICOM

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN has been elected Vice President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.

Elected on Wednesday, Danny Danon commented that it was “an honour” to represent Israel in a leadership position at the UN. He added: “We have proven once again that Israel is ready and able to serve in significant positions in the UN and the attempts to block this progress will not succeed.”

Danon will chair General Assembly meetings when the incoming President, Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajcak, is absent. He will begin his term with the opening of the General Assembly session in September, and will help set the General Assembly’s agenda and oversee rules and decorum during its sessions.

Danon was elected to the position as a representative of the Western European and Others (WEOG) group, as Israel has never been recognised as a member within the Middle East region. This is the second time an Israeli ambassador has served as Vice President, and Danon follows Ron Prosor who held the position in 2012.

Last year, Danon became the first Israeli diplomat to chair a permanent committee at the UN General Assembly, serving on the legal committee.