Shimon Peres, a former Prime Minister and a member of the Kadima party, was elected by the Knesset as the next President of Israel on 13 June 2007. His opponents, Reuven Rivlin and Colette Avital, bowed out of the race after Peres took a commanding lead in the first round. The election had been expected to be a close race between Shimon Peres and Reuven Rivlin (Likud), a former Knesset speaker. The other candidate was Colette Avital of the Labor party.^[1] The deadline for candidates to announce their intention to run was twenty days before the election, i.e. by 25 May.^[2] The Basic Laws of Israel are a key component of Israels uncodified constitution. The State of Israel has no formal constitution. ... The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel passed by the Israeli Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th Av, 5740). ... The Law of Return (Hebrew: חוק השבות, hok ha-shvut) is Israeli legislation that allows Jews and those with Jewish parents or grandparents, and spouses of the aforementioned, to settle in Israel and gain citizenship. ... President of the State of Israel (Hebrew: , Nesí Hamdiná, literally: The President of the State) is the Head of state of Israel. ... Moshe Katsav (Hebrew: , originally Mussa Ghassäb Persian: ; born December 5, 1945) is the eighth and current President of Israel (since 2000). ... Dalia Itzik (Hebrew: ‎; born October 20, 1952) is the current speaker of the Israeli Knesset and Acting President of Israel. ...   (Hebrew: ), born Szymon Perske on August 2, 1923 in Poland is an Israeli politician who has been active in Israeli politics for over 50 years. ... The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: ראש הממשלה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... Ehud Olmert (IPA ; Hebrew:אהוד אולמרט; born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel. ... The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body comprised of government officials chosen and led by a Prime Minister. ... Israel The power of the Knesset to supervise and review government policies and operations is exercised mainly through the state controller, also known as the ombudsman or ombudswoman (Hebrew: מבקר המדינה Mevaker HaMedina. ... The modern Knesset building, Israels parliament, in Jerusalem Though similar-sounding, Beit Knesset (בית כנסת) literally means House of Assembly, and refers to a synagogue. ... List of Speakers of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament: Joseph Shprinzak (Mapai) 1949-59 Nahum Nir (Ahdut Haavodah) 1959 Kadish Luz (Mapai, Alignment)1959-69 Reuven Barkat (Alignment) 1969-72 Yisrael Yeshayahu-Sharabi (Alignment) 1972-77 Yitzhak Shamir (Likud) 1977-80 Yitzhak Berman (Likud) 1980-81 Menachem... Dalia Itzik (Hebrew: ‎; born October 20, 1952) is the current speaker of the Israeli Knesset and Acting President of Israel. ... // (Blue = coalition parties, red = opposition parties) 1This title, called in Hebrew ממלא מקום ראש הממשלה (Memale Mekom Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ... 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. ... Political parties in Israel: Israels political system is based on proportional representation which allows for a multi-party system with numerous parties, in which a single party usually has no chance of gaining power by itself, forcing the parties to cooperate and form coalition governments. ... Knesset Elections Law is crucial legal document governing the process of elections in the Israeli federal parliament or the Knesset. ... Judicial branch is an independent branch of the government which includes secular and religious courts. ... The Supreme Court (Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון, Beit Hamishpat Haelyon ) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. ... The Attorney General of Israel (Hebrew: , HaYoetz HaMishpati LaMemshala, lit. ... Map of the districts of Israel There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות; singular: mahoz) and fifteen sub-districts known as nafot (נפות; singular: nafa). ... The Israeli Ministry of Interior recognizes three types of local government in Israel: cities, regional councils, and local councils. ... In Israel, a local council is a locality similar to a city in structure and way of life, that has not yet achieved a status of a city, which requires a minimum number of residents, among other things. ... The State of Israel joined the United Nations on May 11, 1949. ... Israel and the United Nations have had mixed relations since Israels founding on May 14, 1948. ... The accession of Israel to the European Union refers to a possible future development in the EU-Israel relations. ... // Current ambassadors from Israel to international organizations Current consuls general from Israel: Other senior diplomatic representatives from Israel Well-known past ambassadors from Israel ^ The ambassador to Angola also serves as Israels non-resident Ambassador to Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe. ... Israel, with the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is often claimed to be at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is an ongoing dispute between two peoples, Jewish Israelis and Arab Palestinians, who both claim the right to sovereignty over the Land... Combatants Arab nations Israel Arab-Israeli conflict series History of the Arab-Israeli conflict Views of the Arab-Israeli conflict International law and the Arab-Israeli conflict Arab-Israeli conflict facts, figures, and statistics Participants Israeli-Palestinian conflict · Israel-Lebanon conflict · Arab League · Soviet Union / Russia · Israel and the United... Arguments about the applicability of various elements of international law underlie the debate around the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... From the time it was established in March 1945, the Arab League took an active role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ...   (Hebrew: ), born Szymon Perske on August 2, 1923 in Poland is an Israeli politician who has been active in Israeli politics for over 50 years. ... The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: ראש הממשלה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, QādÄ«māh, forward) is an Israeli political party. ... The modern Knesset building, Israels parliament, in Jerusalem Though similar-sounding, Beit Knesset (בית כנסת) literally means House of Assembly, and refers to a synagogue. ... President of the State of Israel (Hebrew: , Nesí Hamdiná, literally: The President of the State) is the Head of state of Israel. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Reuven Rivlin (in Hebrew ראובן ריבלין) (born September 9, 1939) is an Israeli lawyer, politician and the current Speaker of the Knesset. ... Colette Avital (in Hebrew קולט אביטל) (born May 1, 1940) is an Israeli parliamentarian from the Israel Labor Party, who served in the 15th, 16th, and 17th (current) Knessets. ...   (Hebrew: ), born Szymon Perske on August 2, 1923 in Poland is an Israeli politician who has been active in Israeli politics for over 50 years. ... Reuven Rivlin (in Hebrew ראובן ריבלין) (born September 9, 1939) is an Israeli lawyer, politician and the current Speaker of the Knesset. ... Likud (Hebrew: ליכוד, literally means consolidation) is a centre-right political party in Israel. ... List of Speakers of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament: Joseph Shprinzak (Mapai) 1949-59 Nahum Nir (Ahdut Haavodah) 1959 Kadish Luz (Mapai, Alignment)1959-69 Reuven Barkat (Alignment) 1969-72 Yisrael Yeshayahu-Sharabi (Alignment) 1972-77 Yitzhak Shamir (Likud) 1977-80 Yitzhak Berman (Likud) 1980-81 Menachem... Colette Avital (in Hebrew קולט אביטל) (born May 1, 1940) is an Israeli parliamentarian from the Israel Labor Party, who served in the 15th, 16th, and 17th (current) Knessets. ...

Results

The vote allocation (out of 120) was:^{[1] [3]}

First round

• Shimon Peres: 58 votes
• Reuven Rivlin: 37 votes
• Colette Avital: 21 votes

Second round

• Shimon Peres: 86 votes

  (Hebrew: ), born Szymon Perske on August 2, 1923 in Poland is an Israeli politician who has been active in Israeli politics for over 50 years. ... Reuven Rivlin (in Hebrew ראובן ריבלין) (born September 9, 1939) is an Israeli lawyer, politician and the current Speaker of the Knesset. ... Colette Avital (in Hebrew קולט אביטל) (born May 1, 1940) is an Israeli parliamentarian from the Israel Labor Party, who served in the 15th, 16th, and 17th (current) Knessets. ...   (Hebrew: ), born Szymon Perske on August 2, 1923 in Poland is an Israeli politician who has been active in Israeli politics for over 50 years. ...

Election campaign

Although Avital was the first Labor candidate to officially announce her intention to run and gained the backing of former Prime Minister and current Labor leadership candidate Ehud Barak,^[4] most Labor MKs were likely to back ex-Laborite Shimon Peres.^[5] Peres, however, was advised not to stand by his campaign adviser in mid-May, believing that he would not win enough votes in a secret ballot, and that a defeat would be bad for his image.^[6] This came after the legislation for the "Peres Law", which would replace a secret ballot with an open one, was postponed until after the election by its creator, Kadima's Yoel Hasson. ^[7] The bill was seen as a means of preventing Peres suffering another shock defeat, as he had lost the 2000 election for president by 63 votes to 57 to little-known Likud MK Moshe Katsav. ^[8] Nevertheless, Peres was named as Kadima's official candidate on 28 May,^[9] and has the support of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the influential spiritual leader of Shas.^[10] Ehud Barak (Hebrew: אֵהוּד בָּרָק) (born Ehud Brog on February 12, 1942) is an Israeli politician. ... Moshe Katsav (Hebrew: , originally Mussa Ghassäb Persian: ; born December 5, 1945) is the eighth and current President of Israel (since 2000). ... Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Qādīmāh, forward) is an Israeli political party. ... Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (Hebrew: עובדיה יוסף) (b. ... Shas (Hebrew: ) is an political party in Israel, primarily representing Ultra-orthodox Sephardi and Mizrahi Judaism. ...

Other persons who had been considered as possible candidates included Dalia Itzik (Kadima), Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor), Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, and Meir Shamgar. Rabbi Lau has been warned not to run for the post by Labor MK and former journalist Shelly Yachimovich. Yachimovich stated that were Lau to run, "certain stories from the past may arise, including some that have never been publicized."^[2] Dalia Itzik (Hebrew: ‎; born October 20, 1952) is the current speaker of the Israeli Knesset and Acting President of Israel. ... Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Qādīmāh, forward) is an Israeli political party. ... Brigadier-General (Res. ... Rabbi Israel Meir Lau (born 1937 in Piotrków, Poland) is a former Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi (1993–2003) of the state of Israel. ... Meir Shamgar (b. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ilan, Shahar. "Peres wins presidency as challengers bow out", Haaretz, 2007-06-13. Retrieved on 2007-06-13. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Knesset panel agrees on June 13 for presidential election Haaretz, 9 May 2007
3. ^ http://www.nzz.ch/2007/06/13/al/newzzF2VQ9YPE-12.html
4. ^ Ex-PM Ehud Barak backs Labor's Colette Avital for presidency Haaretz, 27 March 2007 Avital
5. ^ Labor Party wants Peres, calls Avital to forego candidacy Ynetnews, 26 January 2007
6. ^ Campaign adviser to Peres: Pull out of race for president Haaretz, 13 May 2007
7. ^ MK Hasson puts 'Peres bill' on hold Jerusalem Post, 20 March 2007
8. ^ Katsav sworn in amid controversy BBC News, 1 August 2000
9. ^ Olmert names Shimon Peres as Kadima presidential candidate Haaretz, 28 May 2005
10. ^ Yishai tells Peres: Rabbi Ovadia has decided to support you for president Haaretz, 4 June 2007