Danny Danon to become Israel’s new UN ambassador

Israel has appointed Danny Danon as its new ambassador to the United Nations.

The Likud Science Minister, who has sat in the Knesset since 2009, promised to “do everything to advance Israel’s just positions”.

He succeeds Ron Prosor, the former Israeli ambassador to the UK.

Commenting on the appointment, Prime Minister Netanyahu said: “Danon has agreed to take on an important challenge that I proposed for him.

“The United Nations is an important forum right now and I am sure that Danny will represent the truth with full force in the international arena.”

Danon’s promotion to the prestigious UN envoy role comes despite a number of high-profile disagreements with Bibi.

A vociferous critic of the two-state solution, he was was sacked from his position as deputy defence minister last summer after criticising what he judged to be the insufficiently aggressive conduct of Operation Protective Edge.

Responding to the news, the Zionist Union criticised Danon’s appointment as “another nail in the coffin that Bibi is putting in Israel’s foreign relations”.

“The Prime Minister is acting to find jobs for Likudniks instead of the strategic leader Israel needs,” a party statement said.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Danon “has been dealing with public diplomacy and international relations for over two decades”.