President-Elect Ruby Rivlin, Best Described as... Human

If you were to sum up Israel's President-elect Ruby Rivlin in one word, it would probably be "human." He's not the polished, diplomatic, underhanded, sneaky charmer that outgoing, faster please, President Shimon Peres is.

CREDIT: REUTERS/RONEN ZVULUN

And unlike the Israeli and international media, I'd say that Right wing is a very superficial way of describing Ruby Rivlin.

(Reuters) - Reuven Rivlin, a right-wing legislator opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, was elected Israel's president on Tuesday to replace the dovish Shimon Peres in the largely ceremonial post.

Dry Bones

Rivlin is also a Jerusalemite and from famous Jerusalem family that was among the pioneers to move out of the walled city. Yes, the Nachalat Shiva Street, Rechov Rivlin is named for his ancestor.

Israeli television was full of clips of Ruby doing things that would have had most politicians dying of embarrassment, like his sitting in a corner whining, blubbering and crying and pulling out his hair because it looked like his soccer team, Betar Jerusalem, was about to loose the championship game.

His political rehabilitation, which increased his popularity greatly was performing on television as a comedian.



This isn't the usual way to make it in politics, but it has worked for Rivlin. And may he continue being himself in good health for a long, long time. Long live President Ruby!