Peres boost efforts in presidency race

Ynet learns that vice premier met recently with his associates to discuss steps needed to be taken to change law so that Knesset will vote for president in open ballot. Those close to Peres report he indeed intends to run for president 'even if there is closed ballot'

Attila Somfalvi|Published: 01.09.07 , 01:37

Vice Premier Shimon Peres recently stepped up efforts in his campaign to be elected as the next president of the State of Israel by the Knesset. Knesset sources said Monday that Peres announced behind closed doors his intention to run for president "in any case, even if the law isn't changed and the ballot is closed."

Ynet has recently found out that Peres recently met with his associates to discuss what steps need to be taken in order to change the law in order to allow an open ballot in the Knesset vote for president. It is still unclear whether the method of voting for the next president will be changed or not.

Peres

Shimon's trauma

Attila Somfalvi

More than anything, Peres wants to become president

Shimon's trauma

Likud, reportedly, is planning to oppose the law.

In regards to Peres' final decision to run for president, his media advisor Yoram Dori said that he is "unfamiliar with the issue," but other sources close to the vice premier confirmed in a conversation with Ynet that Peres is indeed planning on running for the president both "in the case of an open ballot, and in the case of a closed ballot."

The same sources requested that the details of Peres' decision be withheld from publication, saying, "It is still early to publish this. The timing isn't so good for us." It should be noted that Peres ran for the presidency in 2000 and lost.

Waiting for decision on Katsav

The political establishment is awaiting Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision about the indictment against President Moshe Katsav. If an indictment is issued against Katsav, he is expected to resign his post. In such a case, Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik will take his place in the interim.

The political establishment estimates that in light of the fact that elections are scheduled to be held in May, Itzik will fill the role of president until then, and the elections won't be moved up even if Katzav is indicted in the coming weeks.

Some of the prominent candidates for president include MK Reuven Rivlin, who enjoys wide support among many Knesset parties, Peres, for whom a win is predicted if the vote is performed with an open ballot, and former Rav Meir Lau