Jerusalem Post 50 Most Influential Jews: Number 28 - Danny Danon

During Danon’s first year as UN ambassador, major achievements for Israel were recorded.

By DANIELLE ZIRI
Danny Danon (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Danny Danon
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Since the day he took office in New York last year, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon has made it a point to answer any attack made against Israel in the international body. Danon’s very first Security Council meeting came during his first week on the job, as Israelis faced a wave of stabbing attacks.
Since then, the ambassador has sat in dozens of such meetings – often hostile – and given numerous poignant speeches honoring Israeli victims, from Dafna Meir to Hallel Yaffa Ariel. But beyond reacting, he has also made it his mission to “proactively emphasize Israel’s many contributions to the world” and introduce Israeli culture and Jewish religion to the UN.
During Danon’s first year on the job, major achievements for Israel were recorded: The international body finally recognized Yom Kippur as an official holiday; Danon organized the largest ever anti-BDS gathering inside the General Assembly hall; the UN gave an Israeli NGO official consultant status for the first time; and the ambassador became the first Israeli elected chairman of a UN committee.
In addition, he has accompanied other ambassadors to the UN on trips to Israel and organized a Passover seder for UN officials.
“There is still much work to be done,” Danon told The Jerusalem Post. “Far too often, Israel is singled out unfairly at the UN, and recent events have reminded us that we must ensure that funds intended for humanitarian purposes in Gaza do not end up in the hands of the Hamas terrorists.”
He said he was confident that by “continuing our hard work, our mission to the UN will see even more success” in the coming year.
“For my part,” he went on, “I intend to continue to represent the State of Israel with my head held high in the parliament of nations.”