Interim and Acting President of Israel facts for kids

Sometimes, a country's leader might need someone to step in and take their place for a short time. In Israel, there are two special temporary jobs for this: the Interim President and the Acting President. These roles are set up by Israel's main laws, called the Basic Law.

These two jobs are a bit different. An Interim President steps in when the President's job becomes empty, like if the President resigns or passes away. An Acting President takes over when the President is still in office but can't do their duties for a short time, perhaps because they are traveling or unwell.

Interim President: When the President's Job is Empty

The Basic Law of Israel explains what happens if the President's position becomes vacant. If the President resigns, passes away, or is removed from office, the person who leads the Knesset (Israel's parliament), called the Speaker of the Knesset, becomes the Interim President.

This means the Speaker of the Knesset temporarily takes on the President's duties. They keep their job as Knesset Speaker at the same time. They serve as Interim President until the Knesset chooses a new, permanent President.

Who Has Served as Interim President?

Here are the people who have served as Interim President in Israel's history:

1. Yosef Sprinzak (from November 9 to December 8, 1953)
2. Kadish Luz (from April 23 to May 21, 1963)
3. Avraham Burg (from July 13 to August 1, 2000)
4. Dalia Itzik (from July 1 to July 15, 2007)

Acting President: When the President is Temporarily Away

The Basic Law also says that if the President is still in office but can't do their job for a short time, the Speaker of the Knesset becomes the Acting President. This happens when the President is temporarily unable to carry out their responsibilities and powers.

A common reason for the President to temporarily stop their duties is when they travel outside Israel. In such cases, the Speaker of the Knesset steps in as Acting President.

Notable Acting Presidents

One well-known example of an Acting President was Dalia Itzik. She served as Acting President when Moshe Katzav was temporarily unable to perform his duties.

Another important moment happened in February 2007. Majalli Wahabi briefly became Israel's Acting President. This occurred because Moshe Katzav was on leave, and Dalia Itzik was traveling abroad. Majalli Wahabi was the first non-Jewish person (he is Druze) to serve as Israel's head of state, even if only for a short time.