BICOM

Former Labour leader and Defence Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer yesterday became the first official candidate in the race to succeed Shimon Peres as Israel’s President, although several other candidates are also expected to enter the race.

Peres’ term will come to an end in July and the Knesset will vote on a successor possibly as soon as April. All contenders must secure the endorsement of at least ten Knesset members in order to submit their candidacy. Yesterday, 78-year-old Ben Eliezer became the first to do so, securing the support of 14 of the Labour Party’s 15 MKs. Ben Eliezer served as Defence Minister in 2001, was briefly the Labour Party leader and is considered a veteran parliamentarian. Labour leader Issac Herzog yesterday wished him success and commented that Ben Eliezer, who was born in Iraq, “led soldiers in battle courageously, helped Yitzhak Rabin build relations with our Arab neighbours.”

However, it is far from clear the frontrunner in the race to succeed Peres is. Former Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik is thought to be mulling a Presidential bid, although she is not a current Knesset member. There are also several right-wing personalities expected to throw their hat in the ring. Former Knesset Speaker and veteran Likud MK Reuven Rivlin has already declared his intention to run and has reportedly made moves to heal a rift with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, Energy Minster Silvan Shalom is also thought to be interested in the role and Tourism Minister Uzi Landau apparently has the support of Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman.

There are also candidates from outside the political world, although most believe it will be difficult for them to secure the support of the requisite ten MKs. Most prominent among them are Nobel Prize laureate Dan Shechtman and retired Supreme Court judge Dalia Dorner.