Jonathan Harounoff has spent the past seven years covering Israel, Iran and the Middle East as a journalist. Through his journalism – and his previous work as a communications consultant – he learned the ins and outs of working in the media. Now, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, has appointed him as the new international spokesperson at the United Nations.
“Israel is an amazing, diverse country and an historic nation with an extraordinary population,” Harounoff told the Journal. “I’m honored to be able to play a part in sharing what Israel is really about with the world.”
Harounoff, an Iranian Jew from Britain, wrote about politics, religion and diplomacy in the Middle East for publications including the New York Post, Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Chronicle, Religion News Service and Jewish News Syndicate. He has also appeared on FOX, ABC and NewsNation to talk about Iran, a topic where he’s an expert — currently writing a book about the legacy of Iran’s “Woman, Life, Freedom” protest movement. Along with running his own media consultancy firm, Noff Media, he also worked in corporate communications at a Fortune 500 company and served as director of communications for the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
For the past four years, Harounoff has been based in New York, home to the U.N., which has been mired in its fair share of controversy over its relationship to Israel. Despite this, it’s important that Israel keeps being involved in the U.N., he said, because “there is always great value in sitting around the table to have difficult discussions. Being present to present your case is crucial. There is also invariably more value in Israel having a seat at the table presenting its positions on an international stage than not being there at all – and having that void possibly filled by more hostile voices.”
Harounoff, a graduate of Harvard and Columbia, plans to use his platform to present Israel’s case to the international media in a fact-driven manner as well as correct erroneous or misleading claims lodged at the Jewish state.
Harounoff, a graduate of Harvard and Columbia, plans to use his platform to present Israel’s case to the international media in a fact-driven manner as well as correct erroneous or misleading claims lodged at the Jewish state.
“It is an immense responsibility and great duty to represent Israel on this international stage and remind those who may have forgotten how the conflict we see today in the Middle East started: On Oct. 7, when Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust, as well as the deadliest concert attack in music history at the Nova Festival,” he said. “The war didn’t start in Gaza, nor did it begin in the Golan Heights. It started when crazed terrorists invaded Israel’s southern border and murdered any civilian they could find in their homes, communities and at a music festival celebrating peace.”
Harounoff assumed his position in September and looks forward to showing the U.N. and the world at large the truth about Israel – in one of the most antagonistic environments for the Jewish state, no less. Still, he has hope.
“My experience in journalism and communications has helped me prepare for this important role to present Israel’s case at the U.N. in a way that is impactful,” he said. “One Jewish aphorism I like to live by belongs to one of our earlier sages: ‘A little light dispels a lot of darkness.’ Nowhere are those words truer than at the U.N.”
