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Israel

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The President of the State of Israel (Hebrew: נשיא המדינה‎, Nesi HaMedina, lit. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Politics of Israel takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Israel is The Basic Laws of Israel (חוקי יסוד Hokei Yesod) are a key component of Israel 's Unwritten constitution. The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law Jerusalem Capital of Israel passed by the Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th The Law of Return ( Hebrew: חוק השבות ḥok ha-shvūt) is Israeli legislation originating in 1950 that gives Jews those of Jewish ancestry (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials chosen and led by a Prime Minister. The power of the Knesset to supervise and review government policies and operations is exercised mainly through the state Comptroller (מבקר המדינה Mevaker For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit The Speaker of the Knesset is the presiding officer in the Knesset, Israel 's Parliament and also fills the role of the President when he or she Dalia Itzik (דליה איציק born 20 October 1952, is an Israeli politician affiliated with the Kadima party The following is a list of the Members of the 17th Knesset elected on 28 March 2006 and inaugurated 4 May 2006, and their replacements Israel elects its national legislature the Knesset, by Proportional representation on a national list basis Elections for the 16th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 January 2003. The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. Israel's Political system is based on Proportional representation which allows for a Multi-party system with numerous parties Knesset Elections Law is crucial legal document governing the process of elections in the Israeli parliament or the Knesset. The Israeli Central Elections Committee (ועדת הבחירות המרכזית Va'adet HaBehirot HaMerkazit) is the highly controversial body charged under the Knesset The Israeli judicial system (or judicial branch in Israel, is an independent branch of the government which includes both secular and religious courts. The Supreme Court ( Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון Beit haMishpat ha'Elyon) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. The Attorney General of Israel (היועץ המשפטי לממשלה HaYoetz HaMishpati LaMemshala, lit Menachem Mazuz (מנחם מזוז born 1955 better known in Israel as "Meni Mazuz" is an Israeli Jurist, currently the Israeli Attorney General There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen The local governments of Israel (רשות מקומית also known as local authorities are the set of bodies charged with providing services such as Urban planning, A City council (עירייה Iriya) is the official designation of a city within Israel's system of local government. Local councils (מועצה מקומית moetza mekomit) are one of the three types of Local government found in Israel, with the other two being Regional councils are one of the three types of Local government recognised by the found in Israel, with the other two being cities and local The State of Israel joined the United Nations on May 11, 1949. United Nations article Please do not remove -->Issues relating to the Relations between Israel and the European Union are generally positive Current Israeli Ambassadors Ambassadors to International Organizations Current ambassadors from Israel to international organizations Consuls General Current Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent President of the State) is the head of state of Israel. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The position is largely a ceremonial figurehead role, with executive real power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. In politics a figurehead, by Metaphor with the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship is a person who holds an important title or office yet executes little The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007. (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Presidents are elected by the Knesset for a seven year term, and are limited to serving one term. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit

Contents

Election

The President is elected by an absolute majority in the Knesset (the Israeli parliament). President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. An absolute majority or majority of the entire membership (in American English, a Supermajority Voting requirement is a Voting basis For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit If, by the third round of voting, no candidate receives an absolute majority, a simple majority is all that is required. A president's full term is seven years and a president cannot be re-elected to a second term. Until recently, the president was elected for a five-year term, and was allowed to serve up to two terms in office. In 2000, the president's term was increased to seven years.

Any Israeli citizen who is a resident of the State is eligible to be a presidential candidate. The office falls vacant upon completion of a term, resignation, or the decision of three-quarters of the Knesset to remove the president on grounds of misconduct or incapacity. Presidential tenure is not keyed to that of the Knesset in order to assure continuity in government and the nonpartisan character of the office. There is no vice president in the Israeli governmental system. __FORCETOC__ For the Vice President of the United States, their roles and other information see Vice President of the United States. As such, when the president is temporarily incapacitated or the office falls vacant, the speaker of the Knesset becomes acting president. The Speaker of the Knesset is the presiding officer in the Knesset, Israel 's Parliament and also fills the role of the President when he or she In law when someone is said to be acting in a position it can mean one of three things

Presidential powers and roles

The powers of the President of Israel powers are rather limited in scope compared to heads of state in other countries. The president:

Presidential powers are usually exercised based on the recommendation of appropriate government ministers.

Office of the President of Israel (2007).
Office of the President of Israel (2007).

Although the president's role is non-political, Israeli heads of state perform important moral, ceremonial, and educational functions. Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings A ceremony is an activity infused with Ritual significance performed on a special occasion Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency Furthermore, Presidents play a part in the formation of the cabinet, or government being required to consult leaders of all political parties in the Knesset and designate a member of the legislature to organize a cabinet. If the member so appointed fails, other political parties commanding a plurality in the Knesset may submit their own nominee. The figure called upon to form a cabinet is invariably the leader of the most influential political party or bloc in the Knesset.

Backgrounds

Most Israel's Presidents were involved in national politics or Zionist activities before their elevation to the position. History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the Some were also distinguished in other fields, including Chaim Weizmann, a leading research chemist who founded the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, Zalman Shazar, who was an author, poet, and journalist, and Chaim Herzog, who had been a military leader, attorney, and diplomat. Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( Hebrew: חיים עזריאל ויצמן – November 27, 1874 &ndash November 9, 1952) was a Zionist The Weizmann Institute of Science (מכון ויצמן למדע known as Machon Weizmann is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Zalman Shazar (זלמן שז"ר born Shneur Zalman Rubashov on 24 November 1889, died October 5, 1974) was an Israeli Chaim Herzog (חיים הרצוג September 17, 1918 – April 17, 1997) served as the sixth President of Israel (1983–1993 following

The first several Presidents of Israel were all born in Russia, reflecting the leadership of the State in its early days. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The first President who was born in the land that was to become Israel, as well as the first with a Sephardic background, was Yitzhak Navon whilst the first President with a Western European background was Chaim Herzog, who originally came from Northern Ireland. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural Yitzhak Navon (born April 9 1921) is an Israeli politician diplomat and author Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Meanwhile,the first President born in a Middle Eastern country outside of Israel was Moshe Katsav, who was born in Iran. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics.

Political history

All Israeli presidents from Yitzhak Ben-Zvi to Ezer Weizman were members of, or associated with, the Labor Party and its predecessors, and have been considered politically moderate. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (יצחק בן צבי ( November 24, 1884 &ndash April 23, 1963) was a historian Labor Zionist leader and the second (עזר ויצמן ( June 15, 1924 - April 24, 2005) was the seventh President of Israel, serving a seven-year term from 1993 to Moshe Katsav was the first Likud president. Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset. Likud (ליכוד lit Consolidation) is the major centre-right political party in Israel. These tendencies were especially significant in the April 1978 election of Labor's Yitzhak Navon, following the inability of the governing Likud coalition to elect its candidate to the presidency. Yitzhak Navon (born April 9 1921) is an Israeli politician diplomat and author Israeli observers believed that, in counterbalance to Prime Minister Menahem Begin's polarizing leadership, Navon, the country's first president of Sephardi origin, provided Israel with unifying symbolic leadership at a time of great political controversy and upheaval. (מְנַחֵם בְּגִין Mieczysław Biegun Менахем Вольфович Бегин 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992 was the sixth prime minister of the State of Israel Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural In 1983 Navon decided to re-enter Labour politics after five years of nonpartisan service as president, and Chaim Herzog (previously head of military intelligence and Ambassador of Israel to the United Nations) succeeded him as Israel's sixth president. Chaim Herzog (חיים הרצוג September 17, 1918 – April 17, 1997) served as the sixth President of Israel (1983–1993 following Israel Ambassador to the United Nations, full title Representative of Israel to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary Likud's Moshe Katsav's victory over Labor's Shimon Peres in 2000 (by secret ballot) was an upset. Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset. (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel.

Albert Einstein, a Jew but not an Israeli citizen, was offered the presidency in 1952 but turned it down. Albert Einstein ( German: ˈalbɐt ˈaɪ̯nʃtaɪ̯n; English: ˈælbɝt ˈaɪnstaɪn (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955 was a German -born theoretical Ehud Olmert was reported to be considering offering the presidency to another non-Israeli Elie Wiesel, but he was said to be "very not interested". Elie Wiesel (born Eliezer Wiesel on September 30 1928 in Sighetu Marmaţiei, Romania) is a Jewish writer professor political activist [1]

Specific efforts and initiatives

Peres has taken the lead on the Valley of Peace initiative, an effort to foster peace by promoting genuine cooperation with Palestinians in economic and industrial projects. The Valley of Peace initiative is an effort to promote economic cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. This is in contrast to diplomatic negotiations, which focus solely on the shape of final territorial deals and political arrangements, and have continually broken down over key political issues.

There are various instances where Presidents have transcended the ceremonial nature of their post, in order to achieve more concrete policy aims. For example, Ezer Weizman sought to express dissent with the Oslo Peace Process by refusing to authroize political pardons for certain prisoners whom he felt might still be prone to commit hostile acts. Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles

List of presidents of the State of Israel

# Name Term start Term end Political Party
(at time of appointment)
1 Chaim Weizmann 17 May 1948 9 November 1952[1] None
2 Yitzhak Ben-Zvi 8 December 1952 23 April 1963[2] Mapai
3 Zalman Shazar 21 May 1963 24 May 1973 Mapai
4 Ephraim Katzir 24 May 1973 19 April 1978 Alignment
5 Yitzhak Navon 19 April 1978 5 May 1983 Alignment
6 Chaim Herzog 5 May 1983 13 May 1993 Alignment
7 Ezer Weizman 13 May 1993 13 July 2000[3] Labor
8 Moshe Katsav 1 August 2000 1 July 2007[4] Likud
9 Shimon Peres 15 July 2007 Present Kadima
  1. ^ David Ben-Gurion preceded Weizmann as Chairman of Provisional State Council, a position which he held from 14-17 May 1948. Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( Hebrew: חיים עזריאל ויצמן – November 27, 1874 &ndash November 9, 1952) was a Zionist Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (יצחק בן צבי ( November 24, 1884 &ndash April 23, 1963) was a historian Labor Zionist leader and the second Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. for the town in Mozambique see Mapai Mozambique Mapai (מפא"י an acronym for Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael (מפלגת Zalman Shazar (זלמן שז"ר born Shneur Zalman Rubashov on 24 November 1889, died October 5, 1974) was an Israeli Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. for the town in Mozambique see Mapai Mozambique Mapai (מפא"י an acronym for Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael (מפלגת Ephraim Katzir (born Ephraim Katchalsky on 16 May 1916) is an Israeli biophysicist and former Israeli Labor Party Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) The Alignment (המערך HaMa'arakh) was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s Yitzhak Navon (born April 9 1921) is an Israeli politician diplomat and author Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The Alignment (המערך HaMa'arakh) was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s Chaim Herzog (חיים הרצוג September 17, 1918 – April 17, 1997) served as the sixth President of Israel (1983–1993 following Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The Alignment (המערך HaMa'arakh) was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s (עזר ויצמן ( June 15, 1924 - April 24, 2005) was the seventh President of Israel, serving a seven-year term from 1993 to Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Likud (ליכוד lit Consolidation) is the major centre-right political party in Israel. (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Kadima (קדימה lit Forward) is a political party in Israel. Weizmann's position remained as Chairman of Provisional State Council until 17 February 1949, when he was declared President by the first Knesset. Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly-independent Israel on 25 January 1949 Upon Weizmann's death on 9 November 1952, Knesset speaker Yosef Sprinzak took over as acting president until the appointment of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Speaker of the Knesset is the presiding officer in the Knesset, Israel 's Parliament and also fills the role of the President when he or she Yosef Sprinzak (יוסף שפרינצק born 8 December 1885, died 28 January 1959) was a leading Zionist activist in the first
  2. ^  Upon Ben-Zvi's death on 23 April 1963, Knesset speaker Kadish Luz took over as acting president until the appointment of Zalman Shazar. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
  3. ^  After Weizman resigned from the Presidency, Knesset speaker Avraham Burg took over as acting president until the appointment of Moshe Katsav. Avraham "Avrum" Burg (אברהם בורג born January 19, 1955) was an Israeli Knesset member former Chairman of the Jewish Agency
  4. ^  After Katsav began a leave of absence due to police investigations on 25 January 2007, Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik took over as acting President. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Dalia Itzik (דליה איציק born 20 October 1952, is an Israeli politician affiliated with the Kadima party She continued in this role after Katsav's resignation came into effect on 1 July 2007 until Shimon Peres' inauguration on 15 July. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Living former presidents

As of February 2008, three former Presidents were alive, the oldest being Ephraim Katzir who was born in 1916. Ephraim Katzir (born Ephraim Katchalsky on 16 May 1916) is an Israeli biophysicist and former Israeli Labor Party The most recent to die was Ezer Weizman who died in April, 2005. (עזר ויצמן ( June 15, 1924 - April 24, 2005) was the seventh President of Israel, serving a seven-year term from 1993 to

Name Term Date of birth Age
Ephraim Katzir 1973–1978 May 16, 1916 92
Yitzhak Navon 1978–1983 April 9, 1921 87
Moshe Katsav 2000–2007 December 5, 1945 62

Past elections

See also

References

  1. ^ Olmert backs Peres as next president Jerusalem Post, 18 October 2006

External links

Ephraim Katzir (born Ephraim Katchalsky on 16 May 1916) is an Israeli biophysicist and former Israeli Labor Party Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Yitzhak Navon (born April 9 1921) is an Israeli politician diplomat and author Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar
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