Netanyahu meets with presidential hopeful Miriam Peretz

Prime Minister Netanyahu met today with Israel Prize-winning educator Miriam Peretz, who will face off on Wednesday against current Jewish Agency chairman and former Labor party chief Isaac Herzog in the race for Israel’s next president.

A statement from Netanyahu’s Likud party says the premier praised Peretz’s “life story, personality and work,” while saying Israel was blessed to have “two worthy candidates” to replace President Reuven Rivlin when his 7-year term ends next month.

He also said he remains committed to his earlier statements that Likud won’t whip the vote, allowing lawmakers to vote for who they please.

The president is chosen by the Knesset’s 120 lawmakers in a secret ballot. Herzog, whose father Chaim Herzog was Israel’s sixth president, is considered the frontrunner.