A day after winning the race to become Israel's ninth president, Shimon Peres made a pilgrimage Thursday to the grave of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister and his political patron.

The 83-year-old Peres was greeted by flag-waving children as he traveled to the gravesite near Kibbutz Sde Boker, in southern Israel.

World leaders and former rivals called Peres on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory.

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Meretz leader Yossi Beilin said the win by Peres, one of the architects of the Oslo Accords, against Likud MK Reuven Rivlin was a victory for the peace camp.

Peres received congratulatory phone calls from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, King Juan Carlos of Spain and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Disgraced president Moshe Katsav, whose unexpected win in the 2000 vote denied Peres the President's Residence, also called to offer congratulations.

After his election, Peres went to the Western Wall and then to the home of Shas leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who had prevented his election in 2000 and made it happen Wednesday.

Peres thanked Yosef for Shas' support, and said: "I admire Rabbi Yosef. He is a genius of whom Israel should be proud."

Beilin said that Peres' election was an important achievement for the peace camp. "Israel chose the man who shook Arafat's hand as its first citizen," he said.

The National Union-National Religious Party called on Peres to unite the nation and avoid divisive, controversial issues.

MK Yisrael Eldad (National Union) urged Knesset members after the first round to vote against Peres. "Peres is not worthy of being president," he said.

The other candidates in the race, Rivlin and Labor MK Colette Avital, both dropped out after Peres won a convincing 58 votes in the first round, leaving the way clear in the second round for the elder stateman of Israeli politics.

Until Peres enters office in a month's time, Dalia Itzik will continue serving as acting president.