Israel’s new president

LINDA GRADSTEIN THEMEDIALINE.ORG

On June 10, Israel’s 120-seat parliament chose longtime Likud member Reuven Rivlin as the country’s next president. He will succeed Shimon Peres, who retires next month at the age of 90.

Rivlin, who served two terms as speaker of the Knesset, has been a member of parliament for almost 20 years. He won on the second round of voting, beating out rival Knesset member Meir Sheetrit in that round. He said that he will serve the entire public.

“This [Likud] party was my home as I said it would be until I was legally obligated to leave it. Now, I am no longer a party man, I am no longer a faction man. I am everybody’s man. A man of the people,” Rivlin told the Knesset.

“We have reached the end of a difficult election campaign, the faith of the public in the office of president received a harsh blow and it is our duty to rehabilitate it and restore it,” Rivlin said. He also expressed his thanks to the Knesset that chose him. “The Knesset is the spice of life of the Israeli democracy. From this moment, I begin a personal process of separation from the place that has been my home.”

Israeli analysts say that Rivlin is a logical choice as president, and that he may be less interventionist than his predecessor.

“Rivlin represents the old aristocracy in the Likud,” political commentator Amiel Ungar told this reporter. “I think he will walk back some of Peres’ interventionism.”

The presidency in Israel is a symbolic, but important, position. As Israel is a parliamentary democracy, voters choose a party, not an individual candidate. The party with the largest number of votes usually forms the governing coalition.

“I believe the presidency should go back to the original model of an intellectual, moral leader, not a golden handshake from the political arena,” Ungar said.

The election took place just a few days after Peres traveled to the Vatican for a joint prayer for peace with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Galnoor said that, as Knesset speaker, Rivlin was scrupulously fair.

“Judging by his behavior, I think he will be on guard for Israeli democracy,” Galnoor said. “He will put aside any ideological inclination and will be the president of all Israelis.”

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