Elections for the President of Israel were held in the Knesset on 31 July 2000,[1] following Ezer Weizman's resignation. Moshe Katsav, a prominent Likud politician, ran against Shimon Peres, a previous Prime Minister of Israel. In a surprising upset, the Knesset elected Katsav, by 63 to 57. Katsav assumed office as President on 1 August 2000. He was the first President of Israel to have been sworn in for a seven-year term, as well as the first candidate from the right-wing Likud party to be elected to the office.
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