Israel is a fairly young state. However, over the history of the presidency, 10 political figures managed to succeed in it. What were the presidents of Israel? How do they remember the world community?
Chaim Weizmann
He became the first president of Israel in 1949, 4 years after the end of World War II. In 1951, Haim Weizmann was elected for a second term. He was born in a small town on the territory of modern Belarus, studied in Germany and Switzerland, was president of the World Organization of Zionists. With the Nazis coming to power, Weizmann became the organizer of immigration of Jews from Germany. He was also one of the founders of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The first president of Israel passed away in 1952.
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
A month after the death of the first president, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi took his post, having served as head of state for three whole terms. Born in Poltava (today it is the territory of Ukraine). In 1906, weapons were found in Ben Zvi’s house and exiled to Siberia. Yitzhak himself managed to escape to Vilnius. Later he settled in Palestine and took a lively part in the political life of this country. In 1948, he became one of those who signed the Declaration of Independence of Israel. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi died in 1963 in Jerusalem.
Zalman Shazar
There is such a joke that according to statistics it is easier for Belarusians to get into the presidency of Israel than to the presidents of Belarus. And this is absolutely true. An example of this was the third president of Israel, Zalman Shazar, a native of Minsk province. He received a religious education, then went to study in Germany. In 1947, he was a member of the Jewish delegation to the UN General Assembly, where the issue of Israeli independence was resolved. Zalman Shazar always led a very busy scientific and social life, wrote a lot in Hebrew and Yiddish: journalism, prose, poetry, scientific works.
Efraim Katsir
The fourth president of Israel was born in Ukraine, then moved to Palestine with his family. At the age of 16 he became the company commander of the Jewish organization "Hagan". After he became a doctor of sciences, specialized in biochemistry and received several international awards in this field.
Yitzhak Navon
Few Israeli presidents were born in their own land. Yitzhak Navon is one of them. He was born in the capital of Israel. Yitzhak Navon graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, taught Arabic in schools, conducted diplomatic activities in Uruguay and Argentina, and worked at the Ministry of Culture and Education. He became the first president of Israel to pay an official visit to Egypt. In 1992, Yitzhak Navon retired. The fifth president of Israel passed away in 2015.
Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog was born in the Irish city of Belfast. He emigrated to Palestine in 1935. During World War II, as a volunteer, he served in the English army. After graduation, he returned to Palestine, where he began to pursue a career. Haim Herzog was Israel’s military attache in the United States, commanded a military zone in Jerusalem, and was promoted to major general. He left the army in 1962. In 1975, when the UN declared Zionism a form of fascism, the Duke defiantly went to the podium and tore this document. In 1983, he became President of Israel and stayed with him until 1993.
Ezer Weizmann
The seventh president of Israel was born in Tel Aviv, but had Belarusian roots. He was the nephew of the first president of Israel, Chaim Weizmann. During the Second World War he served in the British Army. After the end of hostilities, he returned to Palestine and took an active part in the development of the Hagan Jewish military formation, or rather its aviation, which later became the basis of the Israeli Air Force. He played a large role in the victory of Israel in the Six Day War with the Arabs in 1967.
Throughout his political career, Chaim Weizmann has received many accusations. In 1989, he was convicted of illegal contacts with members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, thereby undermining his authority in government circles. In 2000, Haim Weizmann was charged with corruption and was forced to leave his post ahead of schedule after 7 years of presidency.
Moshe Katsav
The eighth president of Israel became famous for scandal and imprisonment. He was born in Iran, but soon he emigrated to Israel with his family and studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He began his political career as mayor of the city of Kiryat Malachi. Moreover, among the mayors of the country, Moshe Katsav was the youngest. Subsequently, he held various ministerial posts, and in 2001 he was nominated by the party for the presidential election. In 2006, Moshe Katsav was charged with sexual harassment, and in 2011 he was sentenced to 7 years in prison. The infamous Israeli president is currently serving a prison sentence.
Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres was born in Poland, emigrated to Palestine as a child, graduated from Harvard and began his career at the Ministry of Defense. Occupying key posts, he actively contributed to the development of the military and aviation industries of Israel. He worked closely with the country's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, held several ministerial posts, and was one of the participants in the Middle East peace process. In 2007, Perez was elected President of Israel, and since 2013 he was the oldest head of state throughout the world. At that time he was already 90. However, the age of a politician never bothered anyone. Many Israeli presidents were not young. Shimon Peres died in 2016 at the age of 93.
Reuven Rivlin
Now the president of Israel is Reuven Rivlin. He was born in 1939 in Jerusalem, successfully completed military service, studied law at a university in the capital, and began a career in politics, which has developed very successfully. Rivlin’s activity was quite fruitful. So, in 2010, he organized a group of inter-parliamentary strategic cooperation between the Knesset of Israel and the Federation Council of Russia. Rivlin became president in 2014 and is to this day.