The Likud lawmaker will replace Gilad Erdan, who has decided to wrap up his term at the world body for family reasons.
Likud Party lawmaker Danny Danon is slated to return to New York this summer as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, four years after leaving the diplomatic post to involve himself in domestic politics.
Danon will replace Gilad Erdan, who took over in 2020 but has decided to wrap up his term and move his family back to the Jewish state as two of his children are about to be drafted into the Israel Defense Forces.
The appointment of Danon has been authorized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz but is still subject to approval by government ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
“MK Danon has a lot of experience in the international arena and there is no doubt that he will express his skills and experience during this time,” stated the PMO.
In a post on X, Danon alluded to the news, noting that he has “fought to defend Israel’s global position in a variety of ways” since Hamas launched its genocidal attack against the Jewish state on Oct. 7.
“At a time when the State of Israel is fighting on many fronts, each of us must do the best within our skills and experience. This is how I acted in the past, and this is how I will continue to act in the future,” he tweeted.
“In the face of the diplomatic terror that rears its head these days, I am compelled to present the truth with my head held high for the sake of the people of Israel and our shared future here,” added Danon.
Erdan, whose confrontational nature rattled U.N. officials and opposing diplomats, especially in a post-Oct. 7 environment, will depart at the end of his appointed term, which is set to expire at the beginning of July.
In a May 31 statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Erdan “intends to continue harnessing his vast experience and skills to strengthen the State of Israel in the future.”
Danon, a senior member of the Knesset and the chairman of World Likud, previously served as minister of science and technology and deputy minister of defense.
In November, Danon helped launch a bipartisan initiative that called on Western countries to take in Gaza noncombatants wishing to relocate as the Israeli military works to destroy Hamas in the Strip.
Image - Amir Levy/Flash90