In a special sesson, the Knesset on Wednesday elected Jewish Agency chairman Isaac Herzog Israel's 11th president. Herzog won a decisive victory over rival candidate, Israel Prize laureate Miriam Peretz, with 87 MKs giving him their votes.
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On Wednesday morning, both candidates arrived at the Knesset along with teams of up to 50 relatives, friends, and professionals, who could lobby MKs to vote for them.
At 11 a.m., Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin reviewed the secret ballot procedure, and then voting began. Herzog and Peretz watched the proceedings from a special area of the plenum.
Knesset Secretary Yardena Meller-Horowitz invited each MK, alphabetically by last name, to cast his or her vote behind a curtain. Each MK had the option of casting a white ballot, meaning a vote for neither candidate.
Once the voting was over, Levin announced a recess for the votes to be tallied. The ballot box was taken into a separate room and members of the Knesset Ballot Committee – MK David Bitan (Likud), Yosef Taieb (Shas), Emilie Moatti (Labor), and Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid) – counted them.
The president-elect is not sworn in on the day of the voting. President Reuven Rivlin will remain in office until July 9, 2021. The new president will be sworn in closer to that date.
Moments after the official results were declared, a special Knesset event honoring the newly elected president was held. In his victory speech before lawmakers, Herzog made sure to sound a conciliatory note and also praised his rival Peretz for being "such an inspiration for every Israeli" and called her an "Israeli hero" in light of all the great work she has done in the wake of the tragic loss of her two sons in combat. He also thanked the Israeli legislature for entrusting him with the 7-year presidency.
"I would like to thank each and every one of my friends, the Knesset members, for putting your trust in me. I accept the great responsibility you have placed on my shoulders, and the privilege to serve all segments of the Israeli public in this honorable and noble position.
"I intend to be everyone's president, to hear everyone's opinion and to respect every person, as well as build bridges of cooperation by focusing on what we have in common."
Politicians across the board offered their congratulations.
"Your father, [former] President Chaim Herzog, represented Israel with great success and pride, I am certain that you will do just as well," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the event. "Perhaps you have set a precedent for a tradition of fathers and sons in the presidency. I wish you success on behalf of the Israeli government and all Israelis."
"I would like to congratulate my friend, Isaac Herzog, on his election," said Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who called Herzog "a worthy person for the job" and someone who "finds the good in the nation and the people."
New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar also congratulated the newly elected president. "I am certain that he will be able to serve in this high office with great success, honor and nobility to make this country better," he said.
Echoing similar sentiment, Yamina head Naftali Bennett said, "You are a Zionist with a great heart, I am certain that you will succeed."
The leaders also expressed support for Peretz and thanked her for all immense contribution to the state.
The Jewish Agency congratulated Herzog – now its outgoing chairman – on his election: "It is with great pride that I congratulate the next president of Israel, our Chairman Isaac Herzog. His unwavering dedication to the Jewish people and to serving the State of Israel is an inspiration, and we will all undoubtedly continue to benefit from his leadership," said Michael Siegal, the Jewish Agency's Chairman of the Board of Governors.
"The Jewish Agency, as well as Jewish communities around the world, are proud and grateful to Herzog for leading our organization to new heights," said Amira Ahronoviz, the Jewish Agency's director-general and CEO. "I am confident that his deep commitment to strengthening and unifying the Jewish people will continue guiding him in his new position as president of the State of Israel."
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