[umsami]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6747517.stm

"He has been Israeli prime minister and held numerous ministerial posts, but lost general elections in 1977, 1981, 1984, 1988, and 1996.

His greatest successes have come on the international stage, and he was the guiding light behind Israel's first interim peace accord with the Palestine Liberation Organisation in 1993 in Oslo.

A high point of Mr Peres' long career came in 1994, when he shared the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his role."

Sounds like it could be a good thing... although with the Palestinians moving closer to civil war, who knows if it will even matter.

 

[SaraFR]

Just subbing, for now...

 

[Nickarolaberry]

Well, once it became clear he wasn't going to be able to compete for the Labor Party leadership (which Ehud Barak won yesterday in a party run-off election) he decided to go for "Elder Statesman" which is basically what the Israeli Presidency is.

Hopefully he'll be somewhat less controversial than Weizmann (the recent one -- son of famous Israeli Chaim Weizmann, of the scientific Weizmann Institute) and Katsav were -- both were plagued by scandal.

Traditionally the Israeli Presidency is a show-office. The president has a few, but not many, actual political powers. However he does welcome foreign dignitaries, etc.

 

[umsami]

If only our Presidency was the same way... at least right now.

Oh wait, Dubya didn't do too well with welcoming dignitaries either. Hmmmmm...

 

[applejuice]

OT, but he is a cousin of Lauren Bacall.

 

[merpk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by applejuice OT, but he is a cousin of Lauren Bacall.

No kiddin'.

Where'd'ya get that one?

(It's an entertaining one, because that's one of the jokes here, that whenever a celebrity visits Israel, he's the only politician they wait in line to meet/ be photographed with ... so it's kind of funny to read that he's "related" to Hollywood ...)

 

[applejuice]

Quote:

Oh wait, Dubya didn't do too well with welcoming dignitaries either. Hmmmmm...

specifically.....?

 

[umsami]

Quote:

Originally Posted by applejuice specifically.....?

Queen Elizabeth II of England, for one.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6637429.stm

 

[applejuice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by umsami Queen Elizabeth II of England, for one. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6637429.stm

I know that Merkel of Germany pushed him off her when he tried to give her a shoulder massage. That video was posted around here somewhere. His name for the Senator from Maine, Olympia Snowe-R, is "the Big O" which I find really inappropriate.

OTOH, maybe he does not know what it may mean; yeah, I think that may be true.