Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon. Photo: UN Photo / Loey Felipe.

Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, quashed over the weekend rumors that he was planning to resign from the key diplomatic post to run in the Knesset general election in April.

“During this challenging period, I intend to continue advancing Israel’s position at the UN, and therefore I will not participate in these upcoming Knesset elections,” Danon said in a statement. “The role of Israel’s ambassador to the UN is one of great responsibility, and I will continue to strengthen Israel’s standing during this trying time.”

Danon also observed that “under the leadership of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Mission to the United Nations continues to achieve unprecedented accomplishments in the diplomatic arena.”

In an interview with The Algemeiner in November, Danon noted that Israel’s diplomatic position was “in a much stronger position today, we have diplomatic ties with more than 160 countries.”

In the same interview, Danon explained that his approach to the UN stems from his view “that we are a full member state, we should be eligible to run for every position and present resolutions, and that’s what we are doing.”

Danon was appointed UN ambassador in 2015 following a brief stint as Israel’s science, technology and space minister. He had previously served as deputy minister of defense, before a dispute with Netanyahu over Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014 led to his firing.

The 47-year-old Danon was first elected to the Knesset, as a Likud member, in 2009.