Israel's Envoy to UN Begins Term as General Assembly Vice President

Pictured Above: Israeli Amb. to the U.N. Danny Danon (right) and President of the General Assembly Miroslav Lajcak. Credit: UN Photo.

(JNS.org) Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon began his term as vice president of the U.N. General Assembly Wednesday as the body’s 72nd session got underway.

Danon, who was elected as a representative of the Western European and Others regional group, will take part in the planning agenda for the session. He is also expected to preside over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the UNGA in late September.

"I am proud to represent Israel in this important role that reinforces our position as an equal partner at the U.N.,” Danon said. "We have proven once again that there is no role we cannot fulfill in the world’s most important international organization."

Last year, Danon became the first Israeli to chair a permanent U.N. committee when he was elected by 109 member states to chair the Legal Committee (also known as the Sixth Committee).