Reuven Rivlin and Binyamin Netanyahu
Reuven Rivlin and Binyamin NetanyahuYonatan Sindel/Flash90

Sources in the political echelon have told Arutz Sheva that the identity of Israel's next president may determined during coalition agreements following the March 25 election.

"If Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu does not have the 61 Knesset seats which guarantee him immunity, he is liable to turn to the candidates for presidency and offer them his bloc's support in exchange for a pardon," the source claimed.

"In order to ensure that the bloc will vote for the candidate Netanyahu prefers, Netanyahu will demand from the parties as part of the coalition deal that they vote with the coalition in the elections for president, or, to be exact, according to Netanyahu's stance and in accordance with the 'deal' he made with the candidate who promised him a pardon."

The elections for Israel's 11th president will be held on a date to be determined by the next Knesset, sometime between April and June 2021. Israel's current president, Reuven Rivlin, will end his term on July 5, 2021.

One likely candidate for the position of president is Jewish Agency head Yitzhak Herzog, who enjoys support from Arabs, haredim, and the Left, and is currently working with right-wing politicians as well in order to ensure he has the support of the majority.

Singer Yehoram Gaon and Israel Prize winner Miriam Peretz are also expected to run for the position. Peretz's run is supported by the chairs of both Yamina and Yesh Atid, as well as by large portions of the Likud.