Israel’s temporary president, a Druze, said he was fulfilling a
Zionist dream. Majali Wahabe, a Druze member of the Labor Party who became
Israel’s temporary head of state last week while Acting President Dalia
Itzik visited the United States, officiated at a memorial for Zionist
pioneer Joseph Trumpeldor. “When you reach the highest post of acting
president and acting Knesset speaker, it gives hope to us and to the next generations by fulfilling the vision of Trumpeldor for equality in life
and death,” Wahabe said during the ceremony at Tel Hai, where Trumpledor
died in a 1920 battle. Itzik took over the presidency
from incumbent Moshe Katsav, who stepped down in January amid a sex
scandal.
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