MK Colette Avital (Labor) formally announced her candidacy for president on Tuesday, at a press conference in Beit Sokolov in Tel Aviv.

Avital said, "There is a need to rehabilitate the presidential institution, which was severely damaged because of the Katsav affair. We need of a figure that will represent a different Israel, clean of corruption, aggression and subversion."

Reacting to Vice Premier Shimon Peres' candidacy, Avital said, "The presidency for me is a commitment, it's not a life achievement award. For that, there is the Israel Prize."

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Avital also responded to calls demanding Labor party members give their support to Peres and said, "From what is known to me, my party stands behind me. If there are those who think [they] should support someone who cheated on the party, I'm sorry about that."

The statement referred to the chairman of the Labor Knesset faction, MK Yoram Marciano, a former advisor to Peres, who recently expressed his support for Peres' candidacy.

Representatives of women's groups attended the press conference as well, including Na'amat chairman Talia Livni, former minister Shulamit Aloni, and MK Marina Solodkin (Kadima).