Isaac “Bougie” Herzog
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1960: Isaac Herzog born in Tel Aviv, son of Israel’s sixth president, Irish-born Chaim Herzog (1). Egyptian-born, French-speaking mother Aura Ambache nicknamed Isaac “Bougie” – cross between Hebrew word for doll “booba” and French “bijou” or jewel

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Isaac is also grandson of Israel’s first chief rabbi, Isaac Halevi Herzog (2), and nephew of Abba Eban (3) – high - profile foreign minister 1966-1974

1975: Attends high school in New York while father serves as UN ambassador. Goes on to study law at Tel Aviv University  and New York’s Cornell University

1978: Returns to Israel and serves as officer in elite army intelligence
unit during his military service. Later joins Herzog Fox & Neeman – most politically connected law office in Israel

1999-2001: Serves as cabinet secretary under Prime Minister Ehud Barak

2003: Elected to Knesset as Labour MP – goes on to hold various ministerial portfolios under Prime Ministers Ehud Olmert and Benjamin Netanyahu

2013: Elected chairman of Labour Party, becoming leader of opposition in parliament

Dec 2014: Forges alliance with centrist Hatnua Party, led by former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, to create Zionist Union

Mar 2015: Israeli elections. If Herzog becomes prime minister, he promises to “re-ignite” talks with Palestinians and repair frayed ties with U.S.
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Pictures: Getty Images, Associated Press, Harvard University Library

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