34 Facts About Reuven Rivlin

Reuven "Ruvi" Rivlin is an Israeli politician and lawyer who served as the tenth president of Israel between 2014 and 2021.

Reuven Rivlin argues for a Greater Israel that would embrace all people and give the Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza full Israeli citizenship.

Reuven Rivlin is a strong supporter of minority rights, particularly for Arab Israelis.

Reuven Rivlin was born in Jerusalem during the Mandate era to the Rivlin family, which has lived in Jerusalem since 1809.

Reuven Rivlin is a descendant of students of the Vilna Gaon.

Reuven Rivlin's parents were Rachel "Ray" Rivlin and Yosef Yoel Rivlin.

Reuven Rivlin attended Gymnasia Rehavia high school, and served in the Intelligence Corps of the Israel Defense Forces.

Reuven Rivlin was first elected to the 12th Knesset in 1988, and served as Likud chairman from 1988 to 1993.

Reuven Rivlin lost his seat in the 1992 elections, but returned to the Knesset following the 1996 elections.

Reuven Rivlin ran in the 2007 election for President as the Likud candidate.

Reuven Rivlin withdrew after the first round of voting when it became clear that Kadima MK Shimon Peres had sufficiently broad support to inevitably win in a run-off.

Reuven Rivlin was accompanied by MKs Uri Orbach and Afu Agbariyah, a resident of the city.

Since 1999, Reuven Rivlin has employed Rivka Ravitz, a Haredi woman, first as his bureau chief and campaign advisor, and, upon his election to president, as his chief of staff.

Reuven Rivlin was elected as the 10th President of Israel on 10 June 2014, receiving the support of 63 MKs in a runoff vote against MK Meir Sheetrit.

Reuven Rivlin was sworn in on 24 July 2014, succeeding Shimon Peres.

Reuven Rivlin labelled those who committed the violence as "terrorists", lamenting that his own people had "chosen the path of terror", and that Israel was lax in confronting Jewish religious terrorism.

On 6 April 2019, following inconclusive elections, Reuven Rivlin gave Netanyahu, the head of the larger bloc, the first opportunity to pull together a coalition.

The September election was inconclusive, and on 25 September 2019, Reuven Rivlin gave Netanyahu the opportunity to form a government, as he was again the head of the larger bloc.

On 21 November 2019, Reuven Rivlin gave formal notice to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein that Gantz's mandate to form a government had drawn to a close and the mandate to create a governing coalition would now lie with the Knesset, where any MK would have 21 days to garner a Knesset Majority to form a government.

The 2020 election was inconclusive, leading Reuven Rivlin to give Gantz the mandate a second time on 16 March 2020.

The election was inconclusive, and Reuven Rivlin gave Netanyahu the mandate to form a government on 6 April 2021.

In June 2010, Reuven Rivlin ignored calls to remove Balad MK Haneen Zoabi for joining the Gaza flotilla.

In November 2014, Reuven Rivlin cancelled a scheduled performance of Amir Benayoun after the singer released an anti-Arab song.

In 2016, Reuven Rivlin forbid Balad MK Jamal Zahalka to enter the presidential residence, after Zahalka and other MKs of Balad met with the families of Palestinians who were killed while attacking Israeli civilians.

In 2000, Reuven Rivlin supported legislation that would make it illegal for women to wear prayer shawls.

Reuven Rivlin admitted that as Knesset speaker, he was careful not to invite women to sing so as not to create a conflict with Orthodox Jews.

Reuven Rivlin has voiced support for a version of a one-state solution, and remains a staunch supporter of Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

Reuven Rivlin pointed out that Palestinians could not be expected to accept a two-state solution where "one state is an invincible superpower, and the other is sub-autonomous", while declaring that, "West Bank settlements are as Israeli as Tel Aviv".

In 1989, Reuven Rivlin referred to Reform Jews as "idol worshippers", and refused to call Reform Jewish rabbis by their title.

Reuven Rivlin once campaigned for Israel to recognize the Armenian genocide.

Concerned about the negative reaction of Turkey if Reuven Rivlin signed the petition, unnamed officials of the Foreign Ministry welcomed what they called his "statesmanship".

Reuven Rivlin took part in the March of the Living in Poland on 12 April 2018.

Reuven Rivlin was married to Nechama Rivlin from 1971 until her death in 2019, and has four children.

Reuven Rivlin has been a supporter of the Beitar Jerusalem football club since the age of seven, when he attended his first game.