Israel’s new President, Reuven Rivlin, opposed to "two states" solution
Jerusalem
(AsiaNews) - Reuven Rivlin is the tenth president of Israel. He
was elected today by the Knesset (Parliament) by 63 votes against 53, beating
Meir Sheetrit.
Rivlin,
75, born in Jerusalem, married and father of four children, is a member of the Likud
Party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was, among
other things, parliamentary
speaker.
Considered a
nationalist, in the past he has spoken in favor of settlements and against the
idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. "The
country cannot be divided," he said, assuming "a system in one
state," in which "the Jews would vote for a Jewish parliament and the
Palestinians for an Arab parliament." A
position that puts him at odds with Netanyahu's statements in support of the
two-state solution.
Although
the Israeli president
occupies a largely ceremonial position and has no formal role, Rivlin's political opinions could still
pose a problem for the international community.