Skip to main content

Netanyahu tries again to derail Rivlin presidency bid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rushed into battle against presidential hopeful and Knesset member Reuven Rivlin, all the while offending other potential presidential hopefuls.
Winners of the 2012 Wolf Prize listen to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin's speech during an award ceremony in the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in Jerusalem on May 13, 2012. Winners (L-R); US Paul Alivisatos in Chemistry, from University of California at Berkeley, US Charles Lieber in Chemistry from Harvard University, US Michael Aschbacher in Mathematics, from California institute of technology, US Luis Caffarelli in Mathematics, from University of Texas at Austin, Israeli Jacob D. Bekenstein in Physics, from
Read in 

In one of their many points of friction, presidential hopeful and Knesset member Reuven Rivlin heard that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara accused him of involvement in the choice of journalist Rino Tzror as one of the torch lighters at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony. The ceremony panel that picked the veteran, respected journalist explained that through his work Tzror “serves as a mouthpiece for those citizens who feel they are on the margins of society in Israel and raises pointed human dilemmas and painful social problems.”

This explanation did not impress the Netanyahus. It was made clear to Rivlin that Tzror is a red rag for them, because he has been leading militant battles against Netanyahu since his days as finance minister. 

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.