Israeli ambassador to UN Danny Danon elected VP of General Assembly, win seen as a triumph for Israel

— -- Israel's ambassador to the United Nations was elected Wednesday as vice president of the 72nd session of the U.N. General Assembly, which is considered a significant triumph by the Israeli mission to the U.N.

"Today I was elected to be the Vice President of the @UN General Assembly," Danny Danon tweeted Wednesday afternoon. "It is an honor to represent the State of Israel in this leadership position at the @UN."

The U.N. has had a bit of a contentious relationship with Israel, so Danon's new position is being welcomed by the Jewish state.

"We've proven once again that Israel is able to serve in significant positions at the @UN & the attempts to block this progress won't succeed," Danon tweeted.

Danon will begin his one-year term in September with the opening of the General Assembly.

Danon was elected to the position as a representative of the Western European and Others (WEOG) group. He will chair General Assembly meetings when the president is absent, have a say in setting the agenda and oversee "the rules and decorum during the sessions," according to Danon's office.

Slovakia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Miroslav Lajcak, was elected as UNGA president.