President Ezer Weizman is being touted by some American Jewish leaders as a possible candidate for prime minister in 1996, according to Israeli press reports.
New York attorney Leon Charney, who has close ties to Israeli leaders, recently told Israel Radio he was approached by many people about the idea, apparently while participating in an Israel-Diaspora dialogue with the president in June.
“Anything Weizman has done for the State of Israel has been successful,” Charney told the Jerusalem Post, “founding the modern air force, hero of the Six-Day War, defense minister and primary mover of the Camp David peace accords.”
Charney also referred to Weizman’s “unique and special relationship with Arab leaders,” adding that the president’s popularity has risen above 80 percent.
“I assume if he did become prime minister he’d make an excellent one,” he said.
Beit Hanassi, the president’s office, has reportedly dismissed the prospect as ridiculous.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
