Danny Danon

Danny Danon
Date of birth 8 May 1971
Place of birth Ramat Gan, Israel
Knessets 18, 19, 20
Faction represented in Knesset
2009– Likud

Danny Danon (Hebrew: דני דנון‎, born 8 May 1971) is an Israeli politician and a member of the Knesset for the Likud party, and currently serves as the chairman of World Likud.[1] He previously served as Chair of the Knesset Committee for Aliyah, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs and as Deputy Minister of Defence in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Early life and career

Danon was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, to Joseph and Yoheved Danon. He attended Blich High School and participated in the Betar youth movement. Danon earned a Bachelor's degree in international affairs from the Florida International University, and Master's degree in public policy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After his national service in the IDF (1994–1996), Danon was sent by the Jewish Agency to Miami.[2]

In 1996 he was appointed assistant to Likud MK Uzi Landau. Later on he was appointed the Chairman of the World Betar organization for a few years. Prior to the 2006 elections, Danon won 23rd spot on Likud's list in the party primaries. However, the party won only 12 seats, and Danon did not enter the Knesset.[2]

In June 2006, after beating MK Yuval Steinitz, Danon was elected Chairman of the World Likud organization.[3] Danon was active against Prime-Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan during the referendum conducted by the latter in the Likud party's central committee.

In July 2007 Danon, described as one of Benjamin Netanyahu's biggest critics from within the Likud, declared his candidacy for the Likud leadership election.[4] He eventually finished third.

In 2008, Danon filed a petition to the Israeli High Court of Justice to rescind the citizenship of former MK Azmi Bishara, who fled Israel after he was suspected of aiding Hizbullah, an enemy organization of Israel, during the Second Lebanon War. The petition was rejected.

Prior to the 2009 elections he won twenty-fourth place on the Likud list, and entered the Knesset as the party won 27 seats. Danon was Deputy Speaker of the Knesset during the 18th Knesset (2009-2013).

In September 2009, Danon toured the United States, meeting with Congressmen, leaders of the Jewish community and others on a public relations mission, telling lawmakers that "U.S. pressure on Israel is hurting Israel and will do nothing to advance peace.”[5][6]

In an August 2011 interview with Teymoor Nabili on Al Jazeera English, Mr. Danon said "There is place only for one state on the land of Israel.... I do not believe in a two-state solution."[7]

Danon is the author of "Israel: The Will to Prevail," published by Palgrave Macmillan (4 September 2012).

In March 2013, Danon was appointed as Deputy for Moshe Ya'alon, in the Ministry of Defense.

On 15 July 2014, Danon was fired from his position as Deputy Defense Minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu[8] after publicly criticizing Netnayahus handling of Operation Protective Edge.[9]

Danon submitted his candidacy for the 2014 Likud leadership election on 8 December 2014.[10]

Criticism

Invitation to Glenn Beck

In June 2011, after an appearance on his Fox News program,[11] Danon invited the right-wing American political commentator Glenn Beck to address the Knesset Immigration, Absorption, Diaspora Affairs Committee during his scheduled August visit, describing it as "an opportunity to explain to the world that we are not occupying anything."[12] The invitation came only four months after the Anti-Defamation League denounced Beck for "bigoted ignorance"[13] and six months after four hundred American rabbis published an open letter to Beck's employer, News Corp's Rupert Murdoch, accusing Beck of "diminishing the memory and meaning of the Holocaust."[14]

In response, U.S. Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), a staunch Congressional ally of Israel, told the Jerusalem Post that the invitation was "counterproductive and foolish" and that "It’s unfortunate that he’s getting this publicity." Danon replied, "I am proud to host and cooperate with anyone who supports us and expresses it in every forum possible."[15]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.worldlikud.org.il/?page_id=15
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Paz, Shelly (2009-02-05). "On the cusp". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
  3. ↑ Betar chair trounces MK Steinitz in World Likud poll Haaretz, 19 June 2006
  4. ↑ Danon joins race for Likud leadership Jerusalem Post, 13 July 2007
  5. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/user/The5WPR
  6. ↑ http://www.newsofhisland.com/blog/?p=4387
  7. ↑ http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/talktojazeera/2011/08/201185103022120129.html
  8. ↑ Moran Azulay, Netanyahu fires Danon for critical remarks. Yedioth Acharonoth, 07.15.14
  9. ↑ Gil Hoffman, Danon says criticism of negligent handling of Hamas tunnels led to ouster. The Jerusalem Post, 09/28/2014
  10. ↑ "Danny Danon submits candidacy for Likud leadership". Times of Israel. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Glenn Beck, Fox News, 7 June 2011
  12. ↑ Glenn Beck to address Knesset panel in July Jerusalem Post, 28 June 2011
  13. ↑ ADL: Glenn Beck's Comments About Reform Judaism Demonstrate "Bigoted Ignorance" Anti-Defamation League, 23 February 2011
  14. ↑ 400 Rabbis Send Letter to Murodch Jewish Funds for Justice, 27 January 2011
  15. ↑ US Rep. Lowey: Upcoming talk by Beck in Knesset ‘foolish' Jerusalem Post, 28 June 2011

External links