Israeli president resigns today

The Israeli President Ezer Weizman resigned today, 2 years before the end of his second presidential term. He said following the resignation that it is due to health reasons. The post of president in Israel is symbolic to a large extent.

Wiseman's resignation paves the way for a battle for succession between former prime minister Shimon Perez who received a Nobel peace prize and rightist Knesset member Michael Gezaf.