BICOM

Six contenders are expected today to be officially confirmed as candidates to succeed President Shimon Peres, making the 10 June election the most widely contested presidential race in Israel’s history.

The new president will be chosen by a secret ballot of the 120 Knesset members. Former Knesset Speaker and current Likud MK Reuven Rivlin, former Defence Minister and senior Labour MK Binyamin Ben Eliezer as well as former Finance Minister and senior Hatnuah MK Meir Sheetrit had already secured the requisite endorsement of 10 MKs in order to run. However, it was confirmed early this week that three additional candidates had also gathered the necessary support:  Former Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, who is not a current MK but had previously represented both Labour and Kadima; former Supreme Court Justice Dalia Dorner and Nobel Prize laureate Dan Shechtman. All six are expected to formally submit their endorsements to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein today.

The field became somewhat clearer last week when Likud’s Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom decided not to run, having failed to secure the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is well-reported that Netanyahu holds deep antipathy towards Rivlin and will not endorse his fellow Likud MK. Rumours still persist that Netanyahu is continuing the last minute search for a candidate to back, with some reports saying that former Foreign Minister David Levy could yet be persuaded by Netanyahu to run. Opposition leader Isaac Herzog quipped to his Labour faction yesterday, “The prime minister has asked everyone to run for president except for Pope Francis.”

Other reports this morning claim there are indications that Netanyahu, Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid will work to help Itzik, who is considered to have broad appeal. Talking about her candidacy yesterday, Itzik said, “I believe Knesset members will convey a sharp and clear message that in 2014 Israel, the presidency is open to women.” Nonetheless, Rivlin and Ben-Eliezer are at this stage considered to be the front runners.