Israel’s president is a powerful supporter of peace and unity

While Israel’s head of state, President Reuven Rivlin, is less familiar to Australians than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his arrival in Australia is symbolic of the strong relations between the two countries.

Rivlin is the first Israeli President to visit Australia in more than a decade. And he is a fascinating man in many ways.

He had a varied career before entering national politics. Among other things he served in the military, studied law, managed a football team, served as a member of the Jerusalem City Council and was on various boards — including for airline El Al and the Israel Museum. He also has served as a Knesset member for 20 years, included periods as communications minister and Speaker.

His family has lived in Jerusalem since 1809, more than eight generations, and his father was a famous near-east scholar and presidential hopeful who was the first man to translate the Koran into Hebrew, a translation that resides in the library of the world’s most important Muslim-Sunni academy, the Al-Azhar University in Cairo.

Rivlin is a member of the ruling Likud party but, there’s no love lost between Netanyahu and the President. The Prime Minister did everything he possibly could to prevent Rivlin’s election to the post.

Although Rivlin adheres to traditional right-wing positions, such as an unwillingness to accept territorial compromise with the Palestinians, he has become a much-loved unifying figure. He is generally respected by both sides of politics, Jews and Arabs (20 per cent of Israel’s population is Arab), and the religious and secular. Perhaps this is, as much as anything, because of his unflinching support for democratic principles, respect for human rights, opposition to any form or expression of racism and support for the rule of law.

Read the article by Anthony Bergin in The Australian.