"I am not the type to retire nor am I going to vanish," said soon-to-be Jewish Agency chairman Isaac Herzog during a radio interview for Galatz.
By HAGAY HACOHENUpdated: JULY 12, 2018 12:33Isaac Herzog(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
The Jewish people are on the verge of a massive split, opposition leader Isaac Herzog said, ahead of his leaving the Knesset to lead the Jewish Agency.Herzog said that under his leadership, the Jewish Agency will "deal with this great partnership" between Israel and and the diaspora."I was successful in all of my previous roles in [various] offices," said Herzog during a radio interview on Army Radio on Thursday morning.When asked if he sees himself as successful after being leader of the opposition for five years and never reaching the office of prime minister, Herzog said he does not believe in a "knife between the teeth" attitude."The Israeli center deserves a centrist leadership and not leaders who are carried away by the extremes," he said."Perhaps this is not suited for the age of Facebook where people just unpack [emotions] in five words," he said.The reporters, Yaron Dekel and Amit Segel, joked with Herzog and offered to repeat the oft-asked question regarding his interest in serving as president as his father, the late Chaim Herzog, did from 1983 - 1993."I do not deal with this issue," said Herzog in good spirit.While discussing the World Cup, Herzog, who said he is sad about the English team not making it in the match against Croatia on Wednesday night, spoke of his joy at hosting former English soccer player Bobby Charlton in Israel while serving as Minister of Tourism.Charlton was on the English team who won the World Cup in 1966 and lifted the award himself. He is often regarded as one of the greatest English soccer players of all times.