Danon contrasts Artemis II visit to UN with anti-Israel bias

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, on Thursday contrasted persistent anti-Israel bias at the global body with a visit by astronauts from NASA’s Artemis II mission.

“Sometimes at the U.N., it really feels like we’re on a different planet,” Danon wrote on social media. “Today we hosted the Artemis II astronauts. While some countries remain fixated on outdated narratives that do not reflect today’s reality, the United States is presenting vision and inspiration for the future.”

The visit followed the crew’s return on April 10 from a historic 10-day lunar flyby, during which U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, traveled farther from Earth than any human mission since Apollo 13 in 1970.

Speaking at U.N. headquarters in New York alongside U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz, the astronauts emphasized unity and global cooperation. “We really wanted to connect with humanity,” Wiseman said. “We wanted humanity to just pause for a second and see that this world can still do something exceptionally well when they put their mind to it.”

Glover described the journey as a constantly shifting experience that inspired gratitude, calling the return to Earth a “glorious moment,” while Koch said viewing the planet from space underscored its fragility and shared destiny.

During the visit, Waltz presented the crew with “MUNGA”—“Make the U.N. Great Again”—hats, a nod to President Donald Trump’s signature slogan.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who is Jewish, said the mission builds on the Artemis program launched in 2020, aimed at advancing international cooperation in space exploration ahead of planned Artemis III and IV lunar missions.

Danon’s remarks come amid ongoing tensions at the United Nations, where Israel has repeatedly accused member states of disproportionate criticism, contrasting it with what he described as forward-looking U.S. leadership showcased by the Artemis mission.