Prof. Ephraim Katchalski Elected President of Israel in First Ballot Victory

Prof. Ephraim Katchalski, a 57-year-old Weizmann Institute biophysicist, won a first ballot victory in the Knesset this morning to become Israel’s fourth President in 25 years. Dr. Katchalski, the candidate of the Labor Party, was elected by a vote of 66-41 with nine abstentions on a secret ballot, defeating the National Religious Party’s candidate Prof. Ephraim Uhrbach. The new President will take the oath of office May 24.

Immediately after the election, Knesset Speaker Yisrael Yeshayahu informed the chamber that the new President had told him that if elected he would Hebraize his name, changing it to Katzir, the name of his late brother, Prof. Aharon Katzir, who was killed in the Lod Airport massacre last May 30. A Knesset delegation went to Dr. Katchalski’s home on the Weizmann Institute campus in Rehovot this morning to inform him officially of the election results.

Prof. Katchalski’s nomination for the Presidency by the Labor Party’s Central Committee last March 22 surprised most Israelis. Many of the party’s leaders and rank-and-file had favored Deputy Knesset Speaker Yitzhak Navon who was popular in the Knesset. Katchalski was clearly a dark horse. A dedicated scientist, he had never been in politics and although the recipient of international accolades for his scientific work, was relatively unknown.

Dr. Katchalski rode to easy victory on 54 Labor Party ballots, four from the Independent Liberals and four from the Labor Alignment-affiliated Arab and Druze factions. He picked up unexpected votes from the two Communist factions and from independent MK Meir Avizohar to win with a margin of five votes more than the 61 necessary for a first ballot victory. Dr. Katchalski will serve a five year term with the option of seeking a second term in 1978.

In announcing the election results to the Knesset, Yeshayahu said “All honor to our new President. We wish him well.”