Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan elected vice president of UN General Assembly

"I will now be representing Israel in a position at the heart of the UN. Nothing will stop me," says Erdan

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations was elected vice president of the UN General Assembly in a vote held at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

Both Iran and Syria voiced their objection to the Israeli ambassador’s appointment, but did not call for a counter vote, knowing that they are likely to lose it.

Erdan will fulfill the role for one year beginning in September when the 77th General Assembly convenes. In this position, the Israeli ambassador will chair General Assembly meetings and take part in setting the agenda for its deliberations.

“I will now be representing Israel in a position at the heart of the UN. Nothing will stop me – and I mean nothing – from fighting the discrimination in the UN against Israel,” Erdan said.

“This new position gives Israel another platform to present the truth about our country and our contributions to the world, despite the ongoing lies of the Palestinians and others at the UN. This triumph sends a clear message to our enemies that they will not prevent us from participating in leading roles at the UN and in the international arena. Hatred must never triumph over the truth. I won’t allow it,” he added.

A statement by the Israeli mission to the UN hailed Erdan’s appointment as a “major achievement for Israel” that comes despite the “exploitation by the Palestinians and others of the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.”

“This achievement also prevails over the phony report, premeditated with anti-Israel bias, from the UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry,” the statement read further, referring to a recent report that blamed Israel for "perpetual occupation."

In the past year, Israel has achieved a number of significant milestones at the UN, including its election to serve for the first time ever as a member of the UN Economic Council (ECOSOC), the election of Odelia Fitoussi to serve on the Committee of Experts on Disability, Sarah Weiss-Maudi to serve as vice chair of the UN Legal Committee and the passing of the historic resolution in the General Assembly against Holocaust denial and distortion.

In 2017, then-Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon was elected as a vice president of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly.