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A30 world news
Diahuebs 3 Juni 2021

Herzog, scion of prominent Israeli family, elected president

of Israel’s Labor Party and op- political establishment. He cessor. “I have no doubt that
position leader who unsuc- will hold office for a single you will bear them superbly.”
cessfully ran against Prime seven-year term starting July
Minister Benjamin Netanya- 9. Peretz immigrated from
hu in the 2015 parliamentary Morocco as a child and has
elections. The president is tasked with worked as a teacher, educa-
tapping a political party lead- tor and lecturer on Judaism,
He comes from a prominent er to form governing coali- Zionism and grief. Two of
Zionist family. His father, tions after parliamentary her sons died serving in the
Chaim Herzog, was Israel’s elections. Israel has held four Israeli military. In 2018 she
ambassador to the United national elections in the past was awarded the Israel Prize,
Nations before being elected two years amid a protracted the country’s top award, for
president. His uncle, Abba political crisis. lifetime achievement.
Eban, was Israel’s first for-
eign minister and ambassador Netanyahu’s opponents She would have been the first
to the United Nations and faced a midnight deadline woman and the first settler to
United States. His grandfa- Wednesday to put together a hold the office.
ther was the country’s first new coalition government. If
chief rabbi. they fail, the country could She and her family lived in
be plunged into another elec- one of Israel’s settlements in
(AP) — Isaac Herzog, a Reuven Rivlin, who leaves Herzog defeated Miriam Per- tion campaign. the Sinai Peninsula until a
veteran politician and the office next month at the end etz, 67, an educator who was peace treaty was struck with
scion of a prominent Is- of a seven-year term. seen as a down-to-earth out- The president also has the Egypt in 1979 and the territo-
raeli family, was elected sider close to the country’s power to grant pardons — ry was returned. Peretz then
president Tuesday, a large- “I intend to be the president dominant conservative and creating a potentially sensi- moved to the settlement of
ly ceremonial role that is of everyone,” Herzog said af- nationalist political camp. tive situation as Netanyahu Givat Zeev, in the occupied
meant to serve as the na- ter the votes were tallied. “We stands trial for a series of cor- West Bank just north of Jeru-
tion’s moral compass and must defend Israel’s interna- Herzog has served as head ruption charges. salem.
promote unity. tional status and its good rep- of the Jewish Agency, a non-
utation in the family of na- profit that works closely with “The title of ‘first citizen’ Most of the world consid-
Herzog is set to become Is- tions, fight antisemitism and the government to promote and the task of guarding the ers Israel’s West Bank settle-
rael’s 11th president after hatred of Israel, and preserve immigration to Israel, for the character of the state of Is- ments illegal under interna-
securing 87 votes in a secret the pillars of our democracy. past three years since resign- rael, particularly at this point tional law and an obstacle to
ballot among the 120 mem- ” ing from parliament. He was in time, are heavy responsi- peace with the Palestinians,
bers of the Knesset, or par- widely seen as the favorite bilities,” Rivlin said in a state- who seek the territory as part
liament. He will succeed Herzog, 60, is a former head because of his deep ties to the ment congratulating his suc- of a future state.

Netanyahu's opponents race deadline on unity government

(AP) — Prime Minister Both Shaked and Bennett election, but he was unable an politician and the scion of ther was the country’s first
Benjamin Netanyahu’s have come under heavy pres- to form a majority with his a prominent Israeli family, as chief rabbi.
opponents raced the clock sure from Netanyahu and the traditional religious and na- the country’s next president.
to finalize a coalition gov- country’s right wing base not tionalist allies. He defeated challenger Miri-
ernment that would end to join his opponents. The The presidency is a largely am Peretz by a margin of 87-
his 12-year rule ahead of Knesset, or parliament, has Crucially, a far-right party al- ceremonial role that is meant 26. Peretz, 67, is a prominent
a deadline at midnight assigned additional security lied with Netanyahu refused to serve as the nation’s moral educator and lecturer who is
Wednesday. guards to both in recent days to join forces with a small compass and promote unity. well known because she lost
because of death threats and Arab party that emerged as two sons in battle during their
Centrist Yair Lapid and ul- online incitement. one of the kingmakers in the “I intend to be the presi- military service. In 2018 she
tranationalist Naftali Bennett race. dent of everyone,” Herzog, was awarded the Israel Prize,
have joined forces and agreed By Wednesday night, with whose late father held the the country’s top award, for
to rotate the premiership be- under three hours before the Netanyahu had hoped to ex- same position, said after the lifetime achievement.
tween them, with Bennett deadline at midnight (2100 tend his long rule and battle votes were tallied. “We must
going first. But they were still GMT; 5 p.m. EDT), there the corruption charges from defend Israel’s international Herzog is set to take office
working to cobble together was still no sign of progress. the prime minister’s office. status and its good reputation next month and could play a
a ruling coalition that would He has emerged as a deeply in the family of nations, fight role in Israeli politics down
include parties from across Lapid must inform Israel’s polarizing force in recent antisemitism and hatred of the road.
the political spectrum. largely ceremonial president, years, leaving Israel in a pro- Israel, and preserve the pillars The president’s responsi-
Reuven Rivlin, by midnight longed state of political limbo of our democracy. ” bilities include choosing the
Israeli media reported some that he has formed a majority through a series of inconclu- Herzog, 60, is a former head party leader in parliament he
lingering disagreements over coalition of at least 61 seats sive elections. of Israel’s Labor Party and believes has the best chance
lower-level political appoint- in the Knesset. The assembly opposition leader who un- of forming a coalition after
ments. According to the re- would then have a week to An emergency government successfully ran against Ne- each election. If the country
ports, Ayelet Shaked, Ben- hold a vote of confidence. formed last year between tanyahu in the 2015 parlia- is forced into another vote,
nett’s deputy, was demanding Netanyahu and former mili- mentary elections. Herzog could help determine
a place on a committee that If Lapid misses the deadline, tary chief Benny Gantz to who becomes prime minis-
chooses the nation’s judges. the country will almost cer- battle the coronavirus pan- He comes from a prominent ter.
tainly have a fifth election in demic quickly became mired Zionist family. His father,
But Shaked, a prominent just over two years, and Ne- in political bickering and col- Chaim Herzog, was Israel’s The president also has the
voice in Israel’s hard-line tanyahu would have yet an- lapsed in December. That ambassador to the United authority to grant pardons —
right wing, has expressed other chance to hold onto his government remains in place Nations before being elected making Herzog a potentially
misgivings about joining position as he stands trial for as caretaker. president. His uncle, Abba key player if Netanyahu, who
forces with the dovish mem- corruption. Eban, was Israel’s first for- is on trial for multiple cor-
bers of the emerging coali- Amid the political deadlock, eign minister and ambassador ruption charges, is eventually
tion. Netanyahu’s Likud won the parliament on Wednesday to the United Nations and convicted.
most seats in the March 23 elected Isaac Herzog, a veter- United States. His grandfa-