'It's about time' international community take action against Iran, declares Israel’s UN envoy Danon
Recently re-appointed ambassador says UN ignored his previous warnings
Speaking to Fox News Anchor Eric Shawn on Sunday, Israel’s recently re-appointed UN Ambassador Danny Danon declared, “It’s about time that the international community will take actions against Iran.”
Danon recently replaced former UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who is taking the role of global president for Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency services.
Danon referenced the Houthi ballistic missile attack on Israel, just hours before the Fox interview, pointing out that Iran is behind the attacks – “the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, militias in Syria, they are conducting a war against Israel.”
“They [Iran] are using the proxies, and in April, they attacked us directly,” Danon said.
The Israeli UN ambassador also criticized the lack of action in the United Nations.
“You know, it's absurd,” Danon said, “Next week hundreds of leaders will arrive to the UN. They will all deliver speeches in the General Assembly, but nothing will happen after that; no condemnations, no sanctions against Iran, no actions.”
Danon called the UN situation a “circus,” and said Iranian leaders “are laughing because they are continuing with their nuclear ambitions, and they are taking advantage that the world's attention now is about what's happening in Gaza, in Ukraine, and not what's happening in Iran today.”
When asked by Shawn what Israel would like to see at the UN General Assembly, Danon pointed out that there has been “no condemnation in the General Assembly or the Security Council about the atrocities of Hamas.”
He said that Israel demands a condemnation of Hamas’ actions on Oct. 7, along with a condemnation of Hamas’ refusal to release the Israeli hostages.
“How can you come and speak about world peace after what we have suffered 11 months ago, and the world continues to ignore that?” Danon asked.
Shawn also addressed concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, playing a clip of North Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who stated: “I've never been more worried about a nuclear breakout by Iran than I am right now. I've never been more worried about another 9/11 against America than I am right now.”
Graham also said that “Israel may have to strike to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.”
Shawn asked Danon: “Do you think that Israel, to defend itself, will potentially strike Iran and its nuclear facilities?”
“We are very determined, Eric,” Danon responded. “We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear capabilities.”
However, Danon also stressed that the Iranian nuclear threat is not just a threat to Israel but to “the Middle East and the entire world.”
“Today, with technology and the drones and ballistic missiles, they can reach the U.S., they can reach Europe,” Danon stated. “We expect more from the international community.”
Citing an August IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) report published by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Shawn noted that Iran will soon be able to produce a significant number of nuclear weapons.
“This breakout could be difficult for the IAEA to detect promptly if Iran delayed inspectors' access,” he noted.
“I think we will have to take action,” Danon replied. “I say we, it's all of us, Western democracies, and we better believe what our enemies are saying.”
The ambassador noted that his previous warnings to the UN have been disregarded.
“When Hamas threatened to invade Israel and I spoke about it at the UN, people ignored it; same with Hezbollah,” Danon noted. "Today when the Iranians are threatening not only Israel but also the U.S., we better believe them. We better take it serious.”
The ambassador said that “Israel, the U.S., and other strong democracies” should work together to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities.
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The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
