Minister Silvan Shalom
Minister Silvan ShalomFlash 90

Minister of Infrastructures, Energy and Water Silvan Shalom has reportedly decided not to run for the position of president.

Shalom has apparently learned that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will not support his candidacy, and therefore decided not to run.

Now that Shalom has bowed out, it is possible that former foreign minister David Levy will announce his candidacy.

Likud MK Reuven Rivlin and Labor MK Binyamin Ben Eliezer are now the only two candidates with the requisite ten signatures from MKs to be eligible for participating in the June 10 vote.

Netanyahu has been reluctant to support Shalom’s bid for president and has been equally reluctant to support Rivlin. 

Political analysts said last week that Netanyahu was making desperate maneuvers to try and prevent Rivlin from being elected.

Netanyahu was trying to bring about a six-month postponement of theelection, but failed to gain support for that from ministers and MKs.