Currently, Israel is ruled by a president who is the head of state. Israel is a parliamentary-type republic where the main powers are in the hands of the head of government. The duties of the president include ceremonial and representative functions, and the status of the president is fully disclosed in a special law called "President of the State". At present, a person who is elected to the presidency of Israel cannot be the head of more than one term. Until 1993, the law provided for the possibility of electing the president for two five-year terms. After the term was extended to seven years, but removed the opportunity to be re-elected for two consecutive terms.
Now the president of Israel is Reuven Rivlin, whose inauguration took place in July 2014. This politician tried to become president in 2007, but lost to his rival Shimon Peres.
The creation of the Israeli state in the late XIX - early XX century
The process of formation of the Israeli state was begun in 1897, when the Zionist movement was formed, the main purpose of which was the creation of its own democratic state. Only in 1948 did the citizens of a future independent country win the war of independence. In 1949, a new country was accepted into the UN, thereby taking the Israeli state under protection.
The numerous reforms that were carried out for the creation of Israel were an expression of the eternal aspiration of the Jewish people to revive their country in their historic homeland. In the 19th century, the situation in the world required the creation of a new state in which Jews from all over the world could feel safe.
All the processes that led to the creation of Israel can be divided into the following stages:
- The massive persecution of the Jewish people in Germany, Poland, Russia and resettlement in the United States;
- The origin of the Zionist movement, the main task of which was initially the usual self-defense of the Jewish communities from pogrom-mongers;
- The Balfour Declaration, in which the British Foreign Secretary reported that the Queen was not against the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine;
- British Mandate for Palestine;
- UN plan for the partition of Palestine;
- The war for the independence of Israel.
The persecution of the Jewish people in the 18th century caused whole discussions between prominent European philosophers and politicians of that time. For example, Edmund Burke, in his speech in the British Parliament, noted that Jews are an oppressed nation in Europe, since they do not have their own state and tools that could provide them with protection. These tools Burke attributed:
- Government;
- Army;
- Diplomats and so on.
In his speech, Edmund Burke expressed the hope that all European nations would be able to provide special protection to the Jewish people. However, these ideas did not find support.
Many believe that the main European cause of the creation of Israel was the massive European genocide of Jews, which began in 1933 and continued until 1945. In fact, the first mass wave of modern Jewish immigration began in 1881, when anti-Semitic pogroms raged across Russia, so the need for the creation of Israel was long overdue.
The role of the political Zionism movement in the creation of Israel
The desire of the Jewish people to find their lost homeland was embodied in the movement of political Zionism, which arose as the opposition of the anti-Semitism of the New time, which completely rejected the assimilation of the Jews. Zionism manifested itself in the anti-colonial movement and opposed the following injustice:
- Discrimination;
- Humiliation;
- Pogroms;
- Oppression
Although many Europeans believed that the Jews simply needed to be given the opportunity to settle in their ancestral lands, where they would live quietly and calmly, the Jews themselves viewed their return to the lands of Palestine as colonization.
The main founder of Zionism is considered to be Theodor Herzl, who in 1896 published the book "The Jewish State". In this book, the future Jewish state was viewed not as a dream, but as an expanded plan for the creation of a state, which provided for the Constitution, military organization, government bodies and even the flag. Herzl saw in the new state not just a new country, but a real outpost of European civilization in the east.
The idea of Herzl was immediately perceived in hostility, as the Europeans believed that the Jewish problem exists only in Tsarist Russia, and educated Europe has long forgotten about the hatred of the Jewish population.
The Zionists seriously set about creating a Jewish state, seeking to solve three main tasks:
- Reduce discrimination against the Jewish population in different countries. This was supposed to happen after the new state could act as an advocate for its citizens. The most oppressed Jewish communities were simply to immigrate to the lands of Palestine;
- To form their own national culture, as befits an ancient nation;
- Develop your national character.
The most important issue that could have prevented the creation of a Jewish republic was the issue of non-intervention by Turkey, which was the sovereign of the Palestinian territories. The Zionists, as befits the representatives of the Jewish people, tried as gently as possible to present the idea of the origin of their state to the Ottoman Empire. In different documents that were to be signed by Turkey, the future Jewish state was called differently:
- Basically there was the word "house" or "shelter";
- The state was called the spiritual center of the Jewish people;
- Labor community, whose goal is to work and develop Palestine for the general welfare.
Such "flirting" with Turkey continued until 1922, when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist.
British Mandate in Palestine and the section of the country according to the UN plan
After the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist, the mandate for Palestine was given to Great Britain. The League of Nations explained this by the fact that only Great Britain is capable of creating the conditions necessary for the organization of a Jewish state on the territory of Palestine. According to the mandate given to Britain, the country pledged to fulfill a number of the following points:
- Fulfill a number of economic, political and administrative conditions that will provide all the conditions for creating a Jewish national home in Palestine. Issue a series of decrees aimed at providing the necessary conditions;
- No part of Palestine can be transferred to another state, even for rent;
- Britain pledges to promote Jewish immigration in every way, to encourage the formation of new settlements, and to allocate vacant state land for these purposes;
- For all Jews who express an intention to remain in the lands of Palestine, Britain guarantees assistance in obtaining local citizenship.
As further practice showed, the British government was not going to fulfill its obligations, since its main goal was to get another colony.
In 1921, it became clear to Jews who came to Palestine that there could be no question of any Jewish state. Moreover, the local Arabs reacted negatively to immigrants. The increase in the number of Jewish communities in Palestine has led to an increase in mass protests of Arab nationalists, who began to engage in open conflicts with Jews. The Arab elite of Palestine was able to achieve restrictions on Jewish immigration into the country. After some time, under pressure from the Arabs, the British authorities imposed restrictions on the acquisition by Jews of land and real estate in the country.
Despite the fact that England strongly supported the Arabs, they considered Jewish immigration only as a European landing party that encroached on the entire Arab world and its values. When a flood of refugees from Germany and other European countries rushed into Palestine, this led to the Arab uprising in Palestine. The uprising lasted from 1936 to 1939. It was at this time that the backbone of the future Israeli army was created. The British authorities mobilized and armed more than 3,000 local Jews, creating special police units from them. They quickly found their bearings, and soon all the armed units that were supplied at British expense became members of the underground armed organization Hagana.
The leaders of the local Arab movement were extremely dissatisfied with the situation in the region, and continued to accuse Britain of helping the Jews. They, in turn, refused to recognize the legitimacy of the British Mandate to Palestine, since Britain almost completely banned the immigration of Jews into the country. To save as many Jews as possible, who were massively exterminated by the Nazis, the Jews created the underground organization Mossad le Ali Beth. This organization was engaged in the delivery of Jewish refugees from Europe.
After the end of the Second World War, the British government again returned to the issue of creating a Jewish state. In 1947, the British government officially announced that it was abandoning the mandate for Palestine. The refusal was motivated by the fact that the country was unable to resolve issues related to the Arab-Jewish conflict. The United Nations, which was created shortly before these events, decided to divide Palestine. The section was to be made on the Arab and Jewish parts. In addition, the city of Jerusalem was designated as an international city, and the United Nations was to manage it. The following cities of Palestine were also transferred to the UN:
- Bethlehem;
- Shufat;
- Ein Karem.
Most Jews approved such a section of the country because they received many rights, although some radical Jewish organizations such as Lehi Yitzhak Shamir and Irgun Menachem Begin indignantly rejected the plan, believing that it was unfair to the Jewish population. Despite this, the Jewish Agency adopted a UN plan for dividing the country.
The Arab part of the Palestinian population indignantly rejected the United Nations plan, and they can be understood, since the Jewish population of the country was in its essence newcomers without a clan or tribe. The Palestinian Supreme Arab Council and the League of Arab States issued a statement in which they promised to flood the whole country with the blood of Jews, if at least one Palestinian village would go to the Jews. However, according to UN regulations, the plan for partitioning Palestine was adopted.
The war of independence and the proclamation of the Jewish state
On November 29, 1947, a plan for the partition of Palestine was adopted. This provoked a strong reaction not only among the local Arab population, but also among the entire Arab world. Armed clashes began throughout the country, as local Arabs were assisted by militants from all countries of the Arab region. Gradually, clashes between the parties began to develop into major military clashes, which the British authorities simply could not physically affect.
Britain had to terminate the mandate on May 15, 1948, which was a couple of months earlier than envisaged by the United Nations plan. The Jewish and Arab sides heavily armed themselves, equipped and carried out massive mobilization of the local population. It should be noted that the organization on the Jewish side was much more serious. On the Arab side, opponents experienced difficulties with financing, although they had significantly more human resources.
Each side sought to capture as many territories as possible, and to occupy all possible key points that were freed after the withdrawal of British troops from the country. At first, the Jewish forces adhered to the defensive principle of warfare, but starting in March 1948, the Hagan troops went on the offensive, seizing new territories for their future state.
On May 12, 1948, the People’s Government meeting was held in Palestine, at which the application of the US Secretary of State, George Marshall, was considered. The US government demanded that the Jewish side stop all hostilities for three months and delay the proclamation of the state.
At the same meeting, it was found that King Abdullah of Transjordan was categorically against the cessation of hostilities, and was preparing a large-scale invasion of land controlled by Jewish forces. Despite this, on May 14, 1948, a new state, Israel, was proclaimed. The first president of the new republic was Chaim Weizman, who was elected in 1949.
A list of all the presidents of Israel since its inception
In all the years of Israel’s tenure as president, ten people have changed, and four others temporarily served as president. The list of heads of Israel is as follows:
- Chaim Weizman. Years of government - from 1949 to 1952. A chemist who twice served as president of the World Zionist Organization. The presidency was nominated by the leaders of the workers' parties of Israel. I was able to get a soft loan of $ 100,000,000 from the US government;
- Joseph Shprinzak was Acting President in 1952;
- Itzhak Ben-Zvi was president from 1952 to 1963. It is noteworthy that he was born in Ukraine. He remained in office until his death in 1963. He represented an example of the fact that the life of the president should not differ from the life of ordinary citizens of the country. His residence was a simple wooden house where he lived with his family;
- In 1963, the acting president was Kadish Luz;
- Zalman Shazar was the president of Israel from 1963 to 1973. A native of Minsk province. Despite the plight of Israel, the presidential orders did not concern only the direct leadership of the country. Scientists, writers and artists were constantly in his residence for whom he tried to do everything possible. Looking at the current level of development of Israeli science and medicine, one can say with certainty that the efforts of Zalman Shazar were not in vain;
- The next president of Israel was Efraim Qatsir. He was at his post from 1973 to 1978. A native of Kiev. During his reign, the Doomsday War began, which lasted 18 days. In 1977 he was able to improve relations with Egypt;
- Itzhak Navon ruled the country from 1978 to 1983. He was a representative of the ancient Israeli clans, was born in Israel;
- From 1983 to 1993, the country was ruled by Chaim Herzog. Practically did not interfere in politics, and carried out only those powers that were imposed on him by the Constitution;
- Ezer Weizman was president from 1993 to 2000. He was accused of corruption in 2000, in connection with which he had to resign. Despite the fact that the Israeli president is the nominal head of the country, he was very actively involved in the foreign policy of Israel;
- Abraham Burg temporarily served as president in 2000;
- Moshe Katsav ruled the country from 2000 to 2007;
- Dalia Itzik served as interim head of state in 2007;
- Shimon Peres ruled the state from 2007 to 2014;
- Reuven Rivlin rules the country now.
Most of the functions of governing the Israeli state lie with the parliament, which is called the Knesset.
Rights and Obligations of the Israeli President
All the rights and obligations of the president of the country are clearly spelled out in the law called "President of the country". In accordance with this law, the following powers are assigned to the president:
- He must sign all laws passed by Parliament;
- Sign international agreements;
- Must appoint ambassadors, consuls and judges of the country;
- To appoint the heads of various departments and organizations.
With regard to the appointment of senior officials, this function is only symbolic in nature, since all documents of appointment must be endorsed by the head of government or some minister.
Residence of the President of Israel
The decision to build the residence of the President of Israel was taken only in 1963. The country's first president lived in his villa in Rehovot. The second - lived in a small apartment. Там же была официальная приёмная президента.
Изначально президентский дворец планировалось построить в комплексе правительственных министерств, но Залман Шазар настоял, чтобы дворец строили в жилом районе.
Резиденция президента Израиля, которая называется Бейт ха-Насси, была официально открыта в 1971 году.
