The relative calm afforded to us by the international community – our freedom of maneuver and defense, enabling us to strike at the terrorist organization Hamas for attacking the citizens of Israel and disrupting their daily lives – was not accidental.
It is the fruit of many years of hard work on Israel’s part, which encompasses our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli diplomats who work tirelessly all over the world to make our position clear.
I have always supported these efforts to promote our position on the global stage, both in the UN arena and among other diplomats and ambassadors, and I made sure that I personally clarified our position at every turn. Many countries have entirely changed their stance on Israel, and many have altered their opinions and began listening to our point of view. The road to a sympathetic international arena is a long way away, but significant steps have been taken, many of which have been brought to light by the recent Guardian of the Walls operation.
About three years ago, together with then-US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, I promoted a proposal that arose at the General Assembly aimed at condemning Hamas's terrorist activities. This proposal included a demand to condemn rocket fire and incitement to violence by the terrorist organization, as well as Hamas's use of their own civilians as human shields.
This revolutionary proposal won a majority of 62 states but was rejected for procedural reasons after Algeria claimed that a two-thirds majority of the assembly is required for approval of the resolution. This move proved, however, that the automatic anti-Israel majority that they thought existed at the UN is not a certain fate and can be circumvented with determination.
DURING MY UN tenure, I also brought delegations to Israel that included more than a hundred ambassadors from across the globe. They visited the terror tunnels and saw Hamas’s huge investment into terrorist infrastructure. They met with military personnel and with local residents who talked about their daily lives under the threat of constant attack. This unmediated contact left a long and lasting impression on the ambassadors.
In recent days, I have talked to many diplomats in Europe and the US. I have heard from them that throughout this campaign, Israel has succeeded in disseminating accurate information and that this is also evident on the international stage.
Today, the UN General Assembly will convene to discuss a decision whose entire purpose is to delegitimize Israel's just war and its right to defend itself against its aggressors. We do not yet have a majority in the United Nations and the outcome is known. However, we will continue to act in this arena with all our might.
Nothing will deter us from our determination to stop the firing on Israel. If peace does not prevail in the cities of Israel, a condemnation of the General Assembly will not prevent us from continuing to strike in Gaza and produce the deterrence needed for years to come.
The end of the military campaign seems to be approaching, even though no one knows what the next day will bring. For the past two weeks, I have talked to dozens of foreign media outlets to make clear to the world what is really happening in Israel. I will continue to do so more vigorously in order to defend the truth, which is often no less significant than the military campaign.
Effective advocacy, not only in the midst of a campaign but throughout the year, will adequately prepare us for the next round, in the hope and prayer that it is a long way off in the future.
Danny Danon was Israel's 17th ambassador to the UN and is chairman of World Likud.