President Shimon Peres who refused the request by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to extend his period of tenure, telephoned President-elect Reuven Rivlin to congratulate him soon after the announcement of results and told him that he would be happy to help him in his transition from the Knesset to the presidential mansion.
If Rivlin has his way, the Presidential mansion will be only a work place and not a place to call home for the next seven years. Rivlin has said on various occasions that he wants to remain in his own apartment and drive to work every morning.
His apartment is less than ten minutes drive from the presidential mansion, but would require a considerable security upgrade.
Peres told Rivlin that he was very happy to transfer the role of president to him. He was doing so wholeheartedly and with goodwill, he said, adding that he was certain that Rivlin would acquit himself well.
“I’m stepping into very large shoes” conceded Rivlin.
Peres responded that Rivlin was entirely deserving of the position, and that he was happy for him. It is a position that demands a lot of responsibility and every issue has to be weighed carefully he said, but he was sure that Rivlin would succeed because he is basically a good man.
Peres told Rivlin that he was completely at his disposal during the transition period and would be willing to help him in every way possible.
“I am at the end of a seven year period as President of the State, and it has been a great privilege to serve the nation”, he said. Repeating one of his frequently uttered maxims, Peres counseled Rivlin: “Your role is not to rule but to serve. There is nothing more rewarding than serving the nation”.
Rivlin responded that it would be difficult for him to follow in the footsteps of the ninth President of Israel, Shimon Peres,. It would certainly not be easy to be the tenth president after someone of his caliber he said, but he was determined to work most diligently for the benefit of the entire population.