Israel's Danny Danon elected vice president of next UN General Assembly

According to Danon, his election proves that attempts to block Israel's standing in the UN will not succeed.

By DANIELLE ZIRI
Updated: MAY 31, 2017 23:40
Danny Danon (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Danny Danon
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
NEW YORK – UN Ambassador Danny Danon was elected vice president of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
“It is an honor to represent the State of Israel in this leadership position at the United Nations,” Danon said following the vote. “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.”
Vice-presidents of the GA are elected according to a pattern that ensures equitable geographical representation.
Danon was chosen as a representative of the Western European and Others regional group.
Israel"s envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, speaks to reporters
He will begin his term with the opening of the General Assembly session in September.
For one year, Danon will chair GA meetings, take part in setting the GA’s agenda and oversee rules and decorum during its sessions.
Danon will serve alongside the incoming-president, Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcák, who was also elected Wednesday The election is seen as a major victory by the Israeli mission to the UN. In May 2016, Danon became the first Israeli to chair a permanent committee of UN when he was elected by 109 member-states to chair the Sixth (Legal) Committee.
He will remain in that position until September.