ISRAELI AMBASSADOR ON NEW UN SECRETARY- GENERAL: ‘JUST BE FAIR’: Former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres took over from Ban Ki-moon on Sunday 1 Jan. 2017 as the UN’s new secretary-general, and Israel has one request: Just be fair. “I met with him and was impressed with his wide knowledge of the United Nations and the international arena,” said Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon. “I hope we can turn a new page with him.” Danon acknowledged that Guterres has a difficult job when it comes to Israel and the Middle East. “I told him that the UN system creates so much negative energy against Israel, we just want him to be objective and able to withstand the tremendous pressure against Israel that exists inside the United Nations.”

Guterres was not the only change in the UN that took effect on Sunday. The composition of the Security Council changed, with five rotating members finishing their two-year term and five new countries taking their place. Of the five countries that exited were three of the four that sponsored the anti-settlement resolution against Israel last month: Venezuela, Malaysia, and New Zealand. The fourth sponsor, Senegal, will remain on the council for another year. Israel’s position on the Security Council will improve slightly, with Kazakhstan – a country with which Israel has strong ties, and to where PM Benjamin Netanyahu traveled last month – replacing Malaysia, with which Israel has no diplomatic ties. More good news for Israel is that Ethiopia – one of its closest friends in Africa – will replace Angola, and that Spain will be replaced for one year by Italy, and the other year by The Netherlands, two EU countries whose voting record on Israel in international forums is better than Spain’s. (J.Post)