At a tense session of the UN General Assembly focused on the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz and its implications for global shipping, Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, sharply criticized France and raised allegations about its conduct.
The debate followed a failed attempt to pass a Bahraini-backed resolution in the Security Council, shifting the dispute to the broader Assembly. Speaking during the session, Danon took an unusually direct tone, singling out the French delegation.
Citing international reports, he claimed that French-owned vessels were able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without interference, while ships from other countries were detained by Iran. Addressing France’s ambassador, Danon posed a pointed question about whether payments had been made to secure safe passage.
He argued that giving in to such pressure only strengthens Iran, describing its actions in the strait as “economic terrorism" targeting a critical artery of global trade. According to Danon, countries that comply with such demands are not ensuring stability but encouraging further coercion.
Danon warned that yielding to these tactics could lead to escalating costs and greater threats in the future, urging nations to resist what he characterized as a pattern of extortion rather than accommodate it.