Former centre-left politician Isaac Herzog elected Israel's president in wake of Israel-Palestine clashes

Former centre-left politician Isaac Herzog has been elected as the country's president, a role that is largely ceremonial but also meant to promote unity among ethnic and religious groups.

Israel's parliament on Wednesday elected former centre-left politician Isaac Herzog as the country's president, a role that is largely ceremonial but also meant to promote unity among ethnic and religious groups. Herzog beat rival candidate Miriam Peretz, an educator and mother of two Israeli infantry officers killed in battle, by a vote of 87 lawmakers to 26. He will assume the presidency next month, replacing Reuven Rivlin, who is ending his seven-year term.