Time, the weekly news magazine, has picked two Israelis–Shulamit Aloni and Gad Yaacobi–among 150 men and women from 50 countries who seem likely to become the world’s new leaders. In naming the 150 individuals Time noted that the central requirement for selection was that “a person have, or seem capable of having in the future, significant or social impact.” Only those 45 years of age or younger were eligible for selection.
Ms. Aloni. 45, is the leader of the Civil Rights Party and a member of Knesset, and Yaacobi. 39, is the Minister of Transport and a member of Knesset. Both are also members of Israel’s Cabinet. Time described Yaacobi as “cool, intellectual and pragmatic.” Ms. Aloni was described as having earned a reputation “as a free-wheeling champion of women’s rights and consumerism.”
Others included in the list are: King Hussein of Jordan; Abdul Salam Jalloud, Prime Minister of Libya; Ahmed Zaki Yamani. Petroleum Minister of Saudi Arabia; and Senator James Abourezk of South Dakota (well-known for his pro-Arab views); Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman of New York (who has spoken out for the rights of Soviet Jews and has recently criticized the State Department for its laxity in dealing with former Nazi war criminals residing in the United States); and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Mass.
Acknowledging that its “faces for the future” are inevitably somewhat arbitrary. Time stated that its choices are at best a sampling which runs the risk of wholly satisfying no one. The editors, however, expressed the view that they felt the risk worth taking not only to open a debate on leadership but to demonstrate that at a moment of deep concern there may also be reason for hope.
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