Shimon Peres, former President, premier and quintessential public servant, passed away on September 28, 2016 at the age of 93. Peres' life chronicled the events and evolution of Israeli society since the birth of the Jewish nation.
Shimon Peres was also the last of the founding fathers of Israel and one of the most outspoken elder statesmen in the region. His political life of more than seven decades can not be separated from the nation of Israel itself. His life--along with his evolving political position over the years--has come to epitomize the changing landscape of middle-east.
Shimon Peres has held all possible public offices and numerous government portfolios--including premiership and presidency--in a span of 70-plus years of public service. It was Peres who was the chief advocate and champion of Israel's nuclear weapons program. His hawkish stand in 60s, 70s, and 80s was a source of much of Arab indignation. Peres was also a leading voice of Israel's settlement building and expansion plan in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Many Arab leaders still harbor animosity against Peres because of his past hawkish stand, and they have expressed strong displeasure over Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' decision to attend the state funeral of Peres on September 30, 2016.
However, Shimon Peres and his then-Labor ally Yitzhak Rabin seized a rare opportunity to explore peace with PLO in early 90s. Prodded by the U.S. President Bill Clinton, Peres spearheaded an intense negotiation with the Palestinian side that led to signing of Oslo Accord in 1993. In 1994, three key figures of the Oslo Accord--Peres, Rabin, and the PLO leader Yasser Arafat--received the Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, Shimon Peres played the role of an elder statesman, emphasizing time and again the significance and benefit of a two-state solution. He was seen as the only remaining powerful voice for middle-east peace since the November 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin at hands of a Jewish extremist.
Shimon Peres sensed the shift in the attitude of international community toward Jewish settlement activity, occupation of Palestinian land and Israeli step-motherly policies against its own Arab citizens. Peres tried to do his best to counter the adverse international opinion by constantly and consistently advocating for peace and reconciliation with the Palestinians. As former U.S. President Bill Clinton said of Shimon Peres, the beloved Israeli elder statesman was first a bright student of Israel, then a bright teacher of his country and eventually the best dreamer of Israel. His vision for peace and two-state solution will serve as a beacon of hope to both Palestinians and Israelis for their common pursuit of the dream to have an independent Palestine thriving alongside its neighbor, a secure and prosperous Israel.
Shimon Peres was also the last of the founding fathers of Israel and one of the most outspoken elder statesmen in the region. His political life of more than seven decades can not be separated from the nation of Israel itself. His life--along with his evolving political position over the years--has come to epitomize the changing landscape of middle-east.
Shimon Peres has held all possible public offices and numerous government portfolios--including premiership and presidency--in a span of 70-plus years of public service. It was Peres who was the chief advocate and champion of Israel's nuclear weapons program. His hawkish stand in 60s, 70s, and 80s was a source of much of Arab indignation. Peres was also a leading voice of Israel's settlement building and expansion plan in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Many Arab leaders still harbor animosity against Peres because of his past hawkish stand, and they have expressed strong displeasure over Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' decision to attend the state funeral of Peres on September 30, 2016.
However, Shimon Peres and his then-Labor ally Yitzhak Rabin seized a rare opportunity to explore peace with PLO in early 90s. Prodded by the U.S. President Bill Clinton, Peres spearheaded an intense negotiation with the Palestinian side that led to signing of Oslo Accord in 1993. In 1994, three key figures of the Oslo Accord--Peres, Rabin, and the PLO leader Yasser Arafat--received the Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, Shimon Peres played the role of an elder statesman, emphasizing time and again the significance and benefit of a two-state solution. He was seen as the only remaining powerful voice for middle-east peace since the November 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin at hands of a Jewish extremist.
Shimon Peres sensed the shift in the attitude of international community toward Jewish settlement activity, occupation of Palestinian land and Israeli step-motherly policies against its own Arab citizens. Peres tried to do his best to counter the adverse international opinion by constantly and consistently advocating for peace and reconciliation with the Palestinians. As former U.S. President Bill Clinton said of Shimon Peres, the beloved Israeli elder statesman was first a bright student of Israel, then a bright teacher of his country and eventually the best dreamer of Israel. His vision for peace and two-state solution will serve as a beacon of hope to both Palestinians and Israelis for their common pursuit of the dream to have an independent Palestine thriving alongside its neighbor, a secure and prosperous Israel.
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