Jerusalem, June 2

Veteran Israeli politician Isaac Herzog will be the

Jewish nation’s new President after his overwhelming victory in a secret ballot held in Parliament, it was announced on Wednesday.

The 60-year-old former Labour leader will be the first Israeli President who is the son of a former President. His father Chaim Herzog served as Israel’s head of state between 1983 and 1993.

Herzog won the support of an overwhelming 87 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset (parliament) on Tuesday to defeat his rival Miriam Peretz and become the 11th President of Israel. Herzog will succeed Reuven Rivlin when the latter's term ends on July 9. — PTI