Knesset Elects Moshe Katsav as New President - July 2000

The President, Israel's head of state, is elected by a majority of the Knesset in a secret ballot. The President discharges state duties as prescribed by the Basic Law: President of the State, and other laws.

Ezer Weizman, Israel's seventh president, who was sworn into office on May 13, 1993, submitted his letter of resignation on July 10. His resignation went into effect 48 hours later, and Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg served as Interim President until the election of the new president.

The Knesset convened in special session on July 31, 2000 to elect the new president, who must be elected by a majority of 61 votes. The two candidates were MKs Shimon Peres and Moshe Katsav. Katsav was elected in the second ballot with 63 votes.

Moshe Katsav was sworn in on August 1 - for the first time, for a seven-year term - as eighth President of the State of Israel.