Israel elects hawkish Rivlin as 10th president

Rivlin gestures during his speech after he was elected Israel's president at the Knesset in Jerusalem, June 10. REUTERS Photo

Israel's parliament on June 10 elected Reuven Rivlin, a far-right member of the ruling Likud party, to be the nation's 10th president when Shimon Peres steps down next month.

Known for his affable character and quirky sense of humour, the 74-year-old former parliamentary speaker will take over when Peres retires at the end of July, drawing a line under what many regard as a golden age of the presidency.

A lawyer by profession, Rivlin has won widespread support from across the political spectrum for his determined defence of democracy and civil rights.

But his political outlook is diametrically opposed to that of Peres, being a firm opponent of a Palestinian state and a keen backer of the settlements. And he will have a tough act to follow, with Peres's charisma and global standing enabling him to transcend the largely ceremonial position of the presidency and use it to promote a political message of peace.

Announcing the results of a run-off vote, parliamentary speaker Yuli Edelstein said Rivlin had defeated his centrist challenger Meir Sheetrit by 63 votes to 53 in a secret ballot of the Knesset's 120 MPs.

The other three candidates, former politician Dalia Itzik, retired Supreme Court justice Dalia Dorner and chemistry Nobel Laureate Dan Shechtman were all eliminated in a first round of voting.

In a televised joint news conference, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose bitter dislike of Rivlin made headlines in the weeks running up to the vote, offered Rivlin his congratulations.

"I want to wish you great success," said the premier who had only begrudgingly backed his party's candidate at the 11th hour after his well-publicised and frantic efforts to find an alternative failed.

"You have two...

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