Presidents of Israel: the life and interesting facts

Israel – the state is young enough. However, in the history of the presidency it had to change 10 political figures. What were the presidents of Israel? What they remembered to the world community?

Chaim Weizmann

He became the first President of Israel in 1949, 4 years after the end of the Second world war. In 1951, Chaim Weizmann was elected for a second term. He was born in a small town in the territory of modern Belarus, studied in Germany and Switzerland, was President of the world organization of Zionists. With the advent of the Nazis to power, the Weizmann became the organizer of the immigration of Jews from Germany. He was also one of the founders of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Died the first President of Israel in 1952.

Yitzhak Ben Zvi

A month after the death of the first President he took the post of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi who was the head of state three of the period. Born in Poltava (now Ukraine). In 1906 in the house of his father Ben-Zvi found a gun and sent him to Siberia. Isaac himself managed to escape to Vilnius. Later settled in Palestine and took an active part in the political life of this country. In 1948 it became one of those who signed the Declaration of independence of Israel. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi died in 1963 in Jerusalem.

Zalman Shazar

There is a joke that according to statistics, Belarusians are easier to get into the presidents of Israel than the President. That's 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 at the UN General Assembly where the question of Israel's independence. Zalman Shazar was always very rich scientific and social life, has written extensively on Hebrew and Yiddish: essays, fiction, poetry, scientific works.

Ephraim Katzir

Israel's Fourth President was born in the Ukraine, then moved with his family to Palestine. At 16 years old became the company commander of the Jewish organization Haganah. After he became a doctor of Sciences, specializing in biochemistry and received several international awards in this field.

Yitzhak Navona

Few presidents of Israel were born on their land. Yitzhak Navona is one of them. He was born in the capital of Israel. Yitzhak Navona graduated from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he taught Arabic in schools, conducted diplomatic activities in Uruguay and Argentina, he worked in the Ministry of culture and education. He became the first President of Israel, who visited with official visit to Egypt. In 1992, Yitzhak Navona retired. The fifth President of Israel died in 2015.

Chaim Herzog

Chaim Herzog was born in the Irish city of Belfast. Emigrated to Palestine in 1935. During the Second world war as a volunteer he served in the British army. After graduation he returned to Palestine, where he began to make a career. Chaim Herzog was a military attache of Israel in the United States, commanded a military zone in Jerusalem, had the title of major-General. The army went in 1962. In 1975 when the UN declared Zionism a form of fascism, the Duke defiantly came to the podium and tore up the document. In 1983 he became President of Israel and remained so until 1993.

Ezer Weizman

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, returned to Palestine and took an active part in the development of military education of the Jewish "Haganah", but rather its aviation, which later became the basis of the Israeli air force. Played a major role in the Israeli victory in the six day war with the Arabs in 1967.

In his entire political career, Chaim Weizmann received a lot of accusations. In 1989 he was convicted of illegal contacts with members of the Palestine liberation Organization than undermined its credibility in government circles. In 2000, Chaim Weizmann received a charge of corruption and was forced after 7 years of presidency to leave his post early.

Moshe Katsav

The Eighth President of Israel has become famous for scandal and imprisonment. He was born inIran, but soon the family emigrated to Israel, studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He started his political career as the mayor of Kiryat Malachi. And among mayors of the country Moshe Katsav was the youngest. Later he held various Ministerial posts, and in 2001 was nominated by the party for the presidential election. In 2006, Moshe Katsav was accused of sexual harassment, and in 2011 he was sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years. The infamous Israeli President now serving a prison sentence.

Shimon Peres

Shimon Peres was born in Poland, his childhood with his family emigrated to Palestine, graduated from Harvard and began his career in the Ministry of defence. Occupying key positions, actively contributed to the development of military aviation industry of Israel. Worked closely with first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, held a number of Ministerial posts, was one of the participants in the peace process in the middle East. In 2007, Peres was elected President of Israel, and in 2013, was the oldest head of state in the world. At that time he was already 90. However, the age policy was never confused. Many presidents of Israel, was old. Died Shimon Peres in 2016 at the age of 93 years.

Reuven Rivlin

Now the President of Israel is Reuven Rivlin. He was born in 1939 in Jerusalem, has successfully passed the military service, he studied law in a University in the capital, began his career in politics, which developed quite successfully. Activities Rivlin was quite fruitful. So, in 2010, he organized the inter-parliamentary group on strategic cooperation between the Israeli Knesset and the Federation Council of Russia. President Rivlin began in 2014 and is to this day.