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Why Rivlin's win is a defeat for Netanyahu

The Israeli prime minister tried and failed to prevent his right-wing rival, Reuven Rivlin, from becoming president.
Reuven Rivlin, a former speaker of parliament, gestures during his speech after he was elected Israel's president at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem June 10, 2014. Rivlin, a right-wing legislator opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, was elected Israel's president on Tuesday and will replace the dovish Shimon Peres in the largely ceremonial post. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS PROFILE) - RTR3T26Q
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Reuven Rivlin will serve as the 10th president of the State of Israel, after he defeated Knesset member Meir Sheetrit June 10 in the second round of voting. Rivlin, 74, born in Jerusalem and an extreme-right ideologue, is a veteran Likud Knesset member who twice served as speaker. He won despite the extensive campaign waged against him by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Their unstable and dysfunctional relationship is characterized by sheer hatred. Under current conditions, Rivlin’s election succeeds in delivering good news for the ideological Israeli right wing, and at the same time bad news for the leader of this same right, Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli politics is indeed marvelous and the recent presidential campaign — full of intrigues, mudslinging and police investigations — once again verified this truism.

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