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List of presidents of Israel facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This article tells you about the people who have been the President of Israel since the country was founded in 1948.

The President of Israel is the country's official head of state. This job is mostly about ceremonies and is not involved in daily politics. The President's special duties include signing every new law and international agreements. They also officially appoint the Prime Minister and welcome ambassadors from other countries.

The President also has some important roles in the government. They are the only official who can forgive or reduce sentences for prisoners. The President also chooses the head of the Bank of Israel and the leader of the national emergency service, Magen David Adom. They also officially appoint judges after they have been chosen.

Early Leaders of Israel (1948–1949)

When Israel became an independent country on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion announced its creation. Before the official government was fully set up, there was a group called the Provisional State Council.

Chaim Weizmann was the leader of this council. He acted as the head of state until he was officially elected as the first President of Israel in 1949.

Leaders Elected
No. Picture Name
(Born–Died)
Time in Office Political Party
1
David Ben-Gurion (D597-087)
David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
(1886–1973)
14 May 1948 16 May 1948 Mapai
2
Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - President Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
(1874–1952)
16 May 1948 17 February 1949 General Zionists

Presidents of Israel (1949–Present)

So far, eleven people have served as President of Israel. Some of them served for two terms in a row. One president, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, was elected three times, but he passed away early in his third term.

Isaac Herzog is the current President of Israel. He started his term in 2021.

President Elected
No. Picture Name
(Born–Died)
Time in Office Political Party
1
Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - President Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
(1874–1952)
17 February 1949 25 November 1951 General Zionists 1949
25 November 1951 9 November 1952 1951
Yosef Sprinzak
Yosef Sprinzak (Acting President)
Yosef Sprinzak
(1885–1959)
Acting
9 November 1952 16 December 1952 Mapai
2
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
(1884–1963)
16 December 1952 30 October 1957 Mapai 1952
30 October 1957 30 October 1962 1957
30 October 1962 23 April 1963 1962
Kadish Luz
Kadish Luz (Acting President)
Kadish Luz
(1895–1972)
Acting
23 April 1963 21 May 1963 Mapai
3
Portrait of Zalman Shazar
Zalman Shazar
Zalman Shazar
(1889–1974)
21 May 1963 26 March 1968 Mapai 1963
26 March 1968 24 May 1973 1968
4
Ephraim Katzir visited the Tel Aviv Wax Museum (cropped)
Ephraim Katzir
Ephraim Katzir
(1916–2009)
24 May 1973 29 May 1978 Alignment
Labor
1973
5
Portrait of MP Yitzhak Navon
Yitzhak Navon
Yitzhak Navon
(1921–2015)
29 May 1978 5 May 1983 Alignment
Labor
1978
6
Chaim Herzog (00370035)
Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog
(1918–1997)
5 May 1983 23 February 1988 Alignment
Labor
1983
23 February 1988 13 May 1993 1988
7
Ezer Weizman 9
Ezer Weizman
Ezer Weizman
(1924–2005)
13 May 1993 4 March 1998 Labor 1993
4 March 1998 13 July 2000 1998
Avraham Burg by David Shankbone
Avraham Burg (Acting President)
Avraham Burg
(born 1955)
Acting
13 July 2000 1 August 2000 One Israel
Labor
8
Moshe Katsav (00310100)
Moshe Katsav
Moshe Katsav
(born 1945)
1 August 2000 1 July 2007 Likud 2000
Dalya Itzik 1
Dalia Itzik (Acting President)
Dalia Itzik
(born 1952)
Acting
1 July 2007 15 July 2007 Kadima
9
Shimon Peres 2010 (full) (cropped)
Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
(1923–2016)
15 July 2007 24 July 2014 Kadima 2007
10
Reuven Rivlin as the president of Israel
Reuven Rivlin
Reuven Rivlin
(born 1939)
24 July 2014 7 July 2021 Likud 2014
11
Isaac Herzog, July 2021 (D1233-049)
Isaac Herzog
Isaac Herzog
(born 1960)
7 July 2021 (Term ends in 2028) Labor 2021

Timeline of Presidents

Isaac Herzog Reuven Rivlin Shimon Peres Moshe Katsav Ezer Weizman Chaim Herzog Yitzhak Navon Ephraim Katzir Zalman Shazar Yitzhak Ben-Zvi Chaim Weizmann David Ben-Gurion

Facts About the Presidents

This table shares some interesting facts about where and when each president was born and passed away.

No. Name Born Died Birthplace Death Place Burial Place
1 Weizmann, ChaimChaim Weizmann November 27, 1874 November 9, 1952 Motal,
Russian Empire
Russian Empire
Rehovot
Israel
Rehovot
Israel
2 Ben-Zvi, YitzhakYitzhak Ben-Zvi November 24, 1884 April 23, 1963 Poltava,
Russian Empire
Russian Empire
Jerusalem
Israel
Har HaMenuchot
Israel
3 Shazar, ZalmanZalman Shazar November 24, 1889 October 5, 1974 Mir,
Russian Empire
Russian Empire
Jerusalem
Israel
Mount Herzl
Israel
4 Katzir, EphraimEphraim Katzir May 16, 1916 May 30, 2009 Kiev,
Russian Empire
Russian Empire
Rehovot
Israel
Rehovot Cemetery
Israel
5 Navon, YitzhakYitzhak Navon April 9, 1921 November 7, 2015 Jerusalem,
Mandatory Palestine
Mandatory Palestine
Jerusalem
Israel
Mount Herzl
Israel
6 Herzog, ChaimChaim Herzog September 17, 1918 April 17, 1997 Belfast,
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Tel Aviv
Israel
Mount Herzl
Israel
7 Weizman, EzerEzer Weizman June 15, 1924 April 24, 2005 Tel Aviv,
Mandatory Palestine
Mandatory Palestine
Caesarea
Israel
Or Akiva
Israel
8 Katsav, MosheMoshe Katsav December 5, 1945 Yazd,
Pahlavi Iran
Iran
9 Peres, ShimonShimon Peres August 2, 1923 September 28, 2016 Vishnyeva,
Poland
Poland
Ramat Gan
Israel
Mount Herzl
Israel
10 Rivlin, ReuvenReuven Rivlin September 9, 1939 Jerusalem,
Mandatory Palestine
Mandatory Palestine
11 Herzog, IsaacIsaac Herzog September 22, 1960 Tel Aviv,
Israel
Israel

See also

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