The new Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has issued a stark warning to the international community regarding escalating tensions with Hezbollah and the potential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Danon criticised the U.N. for failing to enforce Security Council Resolution 1701, which stipulates that only the Lebanese military should be present in southern Lebanon.
“Hezbollah took over, they controlled the region, and they made this area a hub for terrorism,” Danon said, noting that the group has amassed tens of thousands of rockets in the region. He asserted that if the U.N. cannot enforce the resolution, Israel might have to act independently to remove Hezbollah from its northern borders.
Danon also stressed the importance of a coordinated international response to Iran’s nuclear program. “It’s about time that not only Israel will deal with Iran, but the Western democracies will realise that they have to put pressure on Iran,” he stated.
Danon pointed to the April 14 incident, where Iran launched hundreds of projectiles into Israel, as an example of the potential dangers if Iran were to acquire nuclear capabilities. “We will not wait for that day. We will not allow them to achieve nuclear capabilities,” he added.
Danon, who succeeded Gilad Erdan as Israel’s permanent representative to the U.N., previously served from 2015 to 2020 before becoming Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Space. Erdan, who gained prominence for his harsh critiques of the U.N., including calling for the closure of the U.N. building in Jerusalem, had a significant impact during his tenure.
In contrast to Erdan’s approach, Danon has expressed a belief in the potential for U.N. reform rather than its dissolution.
He criticized the U.N. for its silence on the October 7 attack and accused it of double standards regarding Israel.
Danon called on the United States to spearhead efforts to reform the U.N., emphasizing the need for the organization to focus on genuine security and peace issues rather than allowing itself to become a platform for radical rhetoric.
Danon’s call for U.N. reform comes as the U.S. remains a significant financial supporter of the international body, contributing over $18 billion in 2022, constituting approximately one-third of the U.N.’s collective budget. Danon argued that demands for greater accountability and effectiveness from the U.N. should accompany this financial investment.
