TEL AVIV, Israel, May 15 (UPI) -- Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres will run for president, his aides said.
Peres, who was in Jordan on Tuesday for a conference of Nobel Prize winners, was expected to officially enter the race within a few days, Ynetnews reported.
Peres lost the Israeli presidential race to Moshe Katsav seven years ago.
Peres enjoys strong support in public opinion polls but the president of Israel is elected in a secret vote by the Knesset. Peres' aides told Ynetnews that they feared he would lose support in that vote.
Two candidates have officially announced their candidacy in the presidential race, Knesset members Reuven Rivlin of the Likud Pary and Colette Avital of the Labor Party.
Another possible candidate, former Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau was still deciding whether to enter the race, Ynetnews reported.
