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JERUSALEM - Shimon Peres, the three-time Israeli Prime Minister who was serially prone to losing elections, finally won a ballot yesterday to become the country's ninth President.
Peres, who began his career in public life well over half a century ago as a protege of Israel's founding Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, won 86 votes from Knesset members after his two main rivals bowed out of the race to ensure his victory. Peres, 83, will succeed Moshe Katsav, who beat him seven years ago to take the largely ceremonial job of head of state.
Katsav suspended himself to fight likely charges that he raped or sexually harassed female employees.
Peres was awarded the Nobel peace prize with Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin after the signing in 1993 of the Oslo accords.
- INDEPENDENT
