Reuven Rivlin sworn in as tenth Israeli President

JERUSALEM, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli lawmaker Reuven Rivlin was sworn in as the tenth president of Israel on Thursday evening, stepping in the role filled by Shimon Peres for the past seven years.

Rivlin was sworn in at the Israeli Knesset (parliament) in a special session, attended by Israeli lawmakers, former politicians, ambassadors, the chief of police and the Supreme Court, mayors of southern communities close to the Gaza Strip and other distinguished guests.

President Rivlin took the oath of office and thanked outgoing President Shimon Peres for his loyal service of the Israeli people and a lifetime of achievements in the efforts to better the life of Israelis.

The new president spoke about the need to have a country based on civil rights for all its citizens, "secular and orthodox, Jews and Arabs, rich and poor," and talked about the need to "form a just society", which would entail a democratic dialogue in Israeli politics and society.

"We cannot turn a blind eye to extremism and violence which raised their ugly head inside of us," he said, following heightening tensions between left and right wing Israelis, Jews and Arabs, amid the Gaza operation and its preceding violent events including the murder of three Israeli teens by Palestinian militants last month, which was followed by Jewish extremists killing an Arab teen in east Jerusalem.

He also referred to the ongoing operation in Gaza, sharing the grief of the bereaved families, adding that Israel must remain a strong democracy in these hard times. "Terrorism will not weaken our spirits," he said, adding Israel "is not fighting the Palestinian people or Islam but is fighting murderous terrorism."

Outgoing president Peres thanked lawmakers for giving him the privilege to be the president for the past seven years. He said that Arabs are not enemies but that terror is the greatest threat to world peace.

He also insisted that he remains hopeful for peace and added there will not be a military solution without a diplomatic one to the conflict with the Palestinians.

The inauguration ceremony was held at a more modest format than initially planned due to the 17-day fighting in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the deaths of more than 700 Palestinians, 35 Israelis and wounded more than 4,000 Palestinians and dozens of Israelis.

Rivlin, 75, is a veteran politician from the right wing camp, known for advocating civil rights for all the people in Israel, including the Palestinians, and for the proper conduct of democracy. Upon his election in June, Rivlin said his goal is "to safeguard due process of democracy."

He is married, has four children and he had served in the Knesset since the 80's.

He had served twice as the Knesset speaker and as a Communication Minister in the Government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the early 2000's. He competed against Peres for the role of president in 2007, in which the latter had won.

The role of the president in Israel is mainly ceremonial without much executive power. The president is elected every seven years and cannot preside for more than one term.

以色列第十任总统宣誓就职

新华网耶路撒冷７月２４日电（记者郁玮　孟博）以色列前议长鲁文·里夫林２４日晚在议会宣誓就职，成为以色列第十任总统。９１岁的希蒙·佩雷斯结束了为期７年的总统任期，正式卸任。

里夫林在宣誓就职后发表讲话，强调建立一个具有平等公民权的以色列国的必要性。他说，无论世俗百姓还是宗教人士，无论阿拉伯人还是犹太人，无论富人还是穷人，都应当享有同样的公民权利。

鉴于近期３名犹太青年遭绑架并被杀害和随后一名阿拉伯少年被报复性杀害等恶性事件的发生，里夫林表示：“绝不会对这些暴力和极端事件置若罔闻。”

提及当前的巴以冲突，他首先向在冲突中丧生的死者家属表示哀悼，并同时表示，阿拉伯人民并不是我们的敌人，恐怖主义才是对世界和平的巨大威胁。

当天是以色列对加沙开展“护刃行动”的第１７天。截至当天，超过７００名巴勒斯坦人和３５名以色列人在行动中丧生，另有逾４０００名巴勒斯坦人受伤，以色列方面也有数十人受伤。

鲁文·里夫林于１９３９年出生于耶路撒冷，毕业于耶路撒冷希伯来大学，曾从事律师职业。从政后，他曾担任利库德集团主席、通讯部长和议长等职。

以色列总统由议会选举产生，任期７年，不能连任。