Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon welcomed UN Secretary-General -elect Antonio Guterres to his new position, which he will assume in January 2017.
Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal and the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, was unanimously chosen on Wednesday to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down at the end of December this year.
Danon told Guterres, “The State of Israel hopes and expects that the UN under your leadership will act in the spirit of its founding principles as a fair body able to differentiate between good and evil, and will end its obsession with Israel.
“I hope that this change in leadership will bring an end to the organization’s hostility towards the Jewish State,” Danon said.
In addition, Danon urged Guterres to accept on behalf of the United Nations responsibility for ensuring return of the remains of IDF Lt. Hadar Goldin and IDF Sgt. Oron Shaul from Gaza. The bodies of both officers were snatched by members of the Hamas terrorist organization during the 2014 counter terror war, Operation Protective Edge.
Danon also suggested Guterres appoint a special UN envoy to combat anti-Semitism.