Peres to run for presidency
30/05/2007 14:56  - (SA)  

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Jerusalem - Israeli Vice-Prime Minister Shimon Peres formally announced on Wednesday that at the age of 83 he is running for president in a June 13 election by legislators.

In Israel, the president, chosen in a secret vote by an absolute majority of the 120-seat Knesset (parliament), has mainly ceremonial duties, but plays a role in the formation of the government and is entitled to grant pardons to convicted prisoners.

"I've decided to take on this task after receiving many requests, first of all by the prime minister (Ehud Olmert), from parliament members, from a lot of people in the public," Peres told a caucus meeting of his centrist Kadima faction in Jerusalem.

A former prime minister, defence minister, foreign minister, finance minister and others, and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his key role in the 1993 interim Oslo peace deal with late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Peres has been active in Israeli politics for half a century and is currently the most senior statesman in Israel.

But while enjoying wide respect abroad, in Israel he suffers from an image of a "serial election looser." He lost the previous presidential election to current President Moshe Katsav against all expectations.

'Building the state'

"It's no secret that I've had many doubts whether to take on this task," Peres told his 29-member faction, admitting that "after all, I'm not the youngest of parliament members."

"I've known failures, but I've also made achievements which I hope have been a contribution to building the state," said the Polish-born politician, who served most of his career on behalf of the leftist Labour Party but joined Olmert's Kadima when it was founded in late 2005.

Katsav's seven-year term in office is due to end on July 15, as he is on a temporary leave of absence over allegations that he sexually harassed and raped several former female employees.

Legislators Reuven Rivlin and Colette Avital have applied as the candidates for the 12-seat hardline Likud and the 19-mandate Labour Party respectively. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA

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