Nobel Laureate and presidential hopeful Professor Dan Shechtman may have put his candidacy in jeopardy during a speech Sunday evening at the Jabotinsky Institute in Tel Aviv. "In order to maintain the body, we need engineers, doctors and the types of people who will build the economy," the world-renowned chemist said. "In order to maintain the spirit we need poets, painters and singers [who are] not only of Middle Eastern origin. There should also be other singers." Shechtman's comments sparked anger in the Mediterranean music industry. "Professor Shechtman is a very educated man and a Nobel Prize winner, but it's a shame such a comment slithered from his mouth," said Yemen-born Israeli singer Margalit Tsaanani. "He clearly won't be president, but at least he won a Nobel." Songwriter Yossi Gispan, who has written numerous Mediterranean-style hits, said on Monday: "I still want to believe that his comment was a light-hearted joke without intent on offending anyone. I hope that next time he uses language more befitting of someone who wants to be a stately public figure. To hold a position such as president one has to be able to express things properly and cannot offend any group, or even think it." Meanwhile, the Labor party announced on Monday that former Defense Minister MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer would be its candidate to replace outgoing President Shimon Peres. Ben-Eliezer is the fourth candidate to officially announce an intention to run, joining former Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, retired Supreme Court Justice Dalia Dorner, and Shechtman. Former Labor Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich abstained from voting for Ben-Eliezer. "Without taking anything from him as a worthy candidate, on this issue there is a call for serious consideration that goes beyond the lines of normal politics," she said. "This vote is personal and secret, and I promise to select, after much thought on the matter, the candidate who is best for everyone." Earlier this week the race for the title of Israel's top citizen became even more complicated as Tourism Minister Uzi Landau, who enjoys the backing of Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman, opened the possibility of putting his name in the running. According to Lieberman, he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are coordinated over the presidential race and will both submit the same candidate. Landau is the third Likud-Beytenu candidate to explore his chances, joining Energy Minister Silvan Shalom, who is still deliberating whether to run, and Rivlin. Former MK Dalia Itzik (Kadima) was also exploring the possibility of joining the race, along with MK Meir Sheetrit (Hatnuah). There is concern within the Likud that Yesh Atid, despite being a member of the coalition, will want to vote for one of the candidates from the Left.
