We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
FORMER ISRAELI PRESIDENT and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres has died at the age of 93.
Peres died some two weeks after suffering a major stroke, according to his doctor said, triggering an outpouring of grief for the beloved elder statesman.
He had been surrounded by family members, a source close to Peres told AFP. A press conference was planned for later in the morning.
World leaders have been marking his death with US President Barack Obama immediately hailing Peres as a friend who “never gave up on the possibility of peace.”
“There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves,” Obama said in a statement.
“My friend Shimon was one of those people.”
Former US president Bill Clinton, who helped usher in the Oslo peace accords of the 1990s, said “the Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation.”
Irish President Michael D. Higgins also paid tribute to Peres.
“It is with great sadness that I have learnt of the death of former Israeli President, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shimon Peres,” the President said in a statement.
Shimon Peres’ life and political actions were shaped by his deep commitment to his ideals, by his wisdom and by dedication to his country and to peace in the region.
Pere was an Israeli elder statesman, Nobel laureate and two-time prime minister who spearheaded peace efforts with the Palestinians after breaking with his hawkish past.
Peres, who also served as president, was a towering figure in Israeli politics for decades and the last of the country’s founding fathers.
Beyond his accomplishments in the public eye, he was seen as a driving force in the development of Israel’s undeclared nuclear programme.
He was particularly lauded abroad, and his lavish 80th birthday party was attended by ex-presidents Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev. Film director Woody Allen sent greetings “from a bad Jew to a very great Jew.”
He once confided that the secret to his longevity was daily exercise, eating little and drinking one or two glasses of good wine.
The highlight of his career came in 1994, when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yitzhak Rabin and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords with the Palestinians.
The 1993 accords were hailed as historic, leading to the creation of the Palestinian Authority and parameters that were supposed to lead to peace in five years.
It was sealed with a symbolic handshake between Rabin and Arafat in Washington. Peres was foreign minister at the time and played a key role.
But more than two decades later, Israeli-Palestinian peace remains elusive and some are ready to bury the idea of a two-state solution.
Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo accords in 1995, while the bloody second Palestinian intifada broke out five years later.
As a new round of talks which later collapsed began in 2013, Peres however expressed his optimism.
He said the negotiations had “a clear purpose” to have “a Jewish state by the name of Israel and an Arab state by the name of Palestine not fighting each other but living together in friendship and cooperation”.
“There is no alternative to peace. There is no sense to go to war,” he said.
Terror doesn’t have a message. Terror cannot bake bread and cannot offer fresh air to breathe. It’s costly, it’s useless, it doesn’t produce anything.
Hitchhike meeting
Peres held nearly every major office in a career spanning five decades.
He was among those instrumental in establishing the state of Israel, alongside its first prime minister David Ben-Gurion and other iconic figures like Golda Meir and Moshe Dayan.
Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to what was then British mandatory Palestine when he was 11.
He joined the Zionist struggle in the 1940s and while hitchhiking met Ben-Gurion, who would become his mentor.
He was part of the Haganah, the predecessor to the Israeli military, and at only 29 became director general of the nascent defence ministry.
While in that position, he helped plan the 1956 Suez war, in which Israel was allied with France and Britain against Egypt.
Peres once hawkishly rejected any compromise with hostile Arab states, but said he was converted after 1977, when Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem, leading to the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty.
“I didn’t change, I think the situation has changed,” Peres told Time magazine in an interview published in February.
As long as there was a danger to the existence of Israel, I was what you would call a hawk… The minute I felt the Arabs are open to negotiation, I said that’s what we prefer too.
But his embrace of peace efforts extended only so far. He was prime minister in 1996 when more than 100 civilians were killed while sheltering at a UN peacekeepers’ base in the Lebanese village of Qana fired upon by Israel.
Political stumbles
Despite his reputation as a statesman, he never managed to outright win a national election. Many in Israel opposed to the Oslo accords also blamed him for what they saw as their failure.
A member of parliament since 1959, Peres headed the Labour party from 1977.
He was prime minister between 1984 and 1986, then again from 1995-1996 after Rabin’s assassination.
He would also serve as foreign, defence and finance minister.
In 2005 he left Labour to join the new centrist Kadima headed by Ariel Sharon.
The alliance ensured Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation, although hopes of subsequently reviving the peace process came to nothing.
In 2007, he was elected by parliament to the largely ceremonial post of Israeli president, a crowning triumph in a career whose fortunes appeared dead just two years before, when he lost the leadership of Labour and quit the party.
Before becoming president, he had dedicated much of his time to promoting peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab world through his Peres Center for Peace.
He left office as president in 2014, but maintained an active schedule even after suffering heart trouble in January 2016.
And he never lost faith in the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“I think it’s the only thing which is possible in order to bring an end to terror, violence and hatred,” he said in the Time interview.
Peres, who spoke English and French as well as Hebrew, was married to Sonya, who died in 2011. The couple had three children and numerous grandchildren.
© – AFP 2016 with reporting by Rónán Duffy
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
This man was a land thriving apartheid war criminal.
Nonsense.
@Brian MacCarthaigh: a disgusting zionist settler. May he rot in the depths of hell.
In fairness Brendan, that’s very harsh on Brian. Don’t mind him Brian.
Suppose you’ll be awaiting the sixty seven virgins,I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Actually Peres was against illegal settlements and spoke about the need for compromise, but don’t let that get in the way of a good rant…
@Avina Laaf: read you fool – https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20160928-shimon-peres-israeli-war-criminal-whose-victims-the-west-ignored/
@Craig Barry:
Perhaps you should take your own advice before calling others fools:
“Following the 1984 election, Labor and Likud — which had each captured virtually the same number of seats in the Knesset — agreed to form a national unity government. The most contentious issue they faced was coming to an agreement on Israeli settlement construction. Peres, then opposed to settlements, fought to reduce them as much as he could.”
http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/07/24/the-transformation-of-shimon-peres/
@Brendan Keegan: Would you like to meet him there?
@Avina Laaf: The mass genocide of Palestinians occurred under his watch and by him…no doubt you will now refer to me as an anti-Semite…pathetic
@Craig Barry:
Read my post again. I’m not defending Peres – he was quite hardline (especially in the early years) but calling him a land thief or a disgusting settler just isn’t supported by the facts.
Craig ffs a genocide where the population of Palestinians is increasing. Using loaded comment only damages your argument. There is no doubt that the Palestinians are being mistreated but a genocide?
It’s like trying to argue with a chimpanzee ..seriously
A great man. One of Israel’s best defense ministers and Labor politicians who was key to building Israel’s military capacity. From hawk to peacemaker, the last link to Israel’s founding fathers.
The same military that collectively punished the entire population of Gaza killing 550 children alone. The same military that bombed hospital’s, ambulance, medical personnel, schools, homes, businesses, roads, factories, places of worship, UN safe shelters, fishermen, water purification systems and the only electricity power plant. Israel’s founding father of shame more like it.
The same military that defended it’s people from multinational Arab armies that wanted Israel and it’s people destroyed. He helped protect his people and sought peaceful coexistence. A great man.
@Brian MacCarthaigh: If you don’t like the consequences of launching rockets and digging tunnels, then don’t do it.
War Criminal
Would you like to restart the Waffen SS then you can implement the final solution for your beloved palastine
@Paul Doyle: Shimon Peres, relentless advocate of a better Israel, and a better world. Peres was the face of the Israel that the world wants to see: Warm and wise, a believer in the essential good of humanity. Indeed, constantly questing for a safer, better, more tranquil future. Peres touched many, many lives in his unique career. RIP
Real peace would’ve been the attainment of the national rights of the Palestinian people; the right to return, self-determination, real co-existence.
Aine, you support a 1 state solution?
One state at this stage is the only solution when you consider what’s left of the West Bank with the continued state sponsored illegal settlements. Two states is like asking the school bully for a bite of your sandwich he’s just eaten.
One state is no solution. You know this already though.
Israel is the size of Munster with 2 million Arabs there already Where would the 4 million returning Palestinians go
They have been in exile for 70 years need to accept they are not going back
Most Palestinians support HAMAS who honestly want the total destruction of Israel
Given their own state with with help from Iran and the gulf states they would turn it into another Gaza in a few years
Palestinians have turned down three peace deals down the years from Israel
@Brian MacCarthaigh: The West Bank? oh you mean Judea and Samaria, the West Bank was the name given to Judea and Samaria by the Jordanians when they occupied the land.
@Áine Ní Mhurchú: As if the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab (and indeed Islamic) world want such a “solution”! They just want the annihilation of all Jews and anything that might lead to that depraved outcome.
The Palestinians turned down every proposal for peace and coexistence. Voting Hamas into power was the final nail in that coffin.
@Áine Ní Mhurchú:
The Palestinians are not and never hsve been a nation. They are Arabs from Egypt,SA,Syria,Jordan and Lebanon who migrated into the area to avail of economic opportunities brought about by Jews who bought the land from absentee Arab land-owners and made it productive again.
Only 5% of current so-called Palestinians can trace their ancestry back more than the 200 yrs.
These people ought to have the right to remain in their original Arab lands where the vast majorty have been born anyways but are being denied citizenship and human rights by these very states so as to keep the conflict with Israel going.
.
@Patrick J O’CONNOR:
RIP. Shimon Peres.
Ah..was wondering when you’d show up Patrick O Connor
RIP Shimon Peres who was leading the fight against radical Islamic terror for decades. The world needs more like him.
@James Odin: you are deluded sir
Shimon Peres, will be fondly remembered and sadly missed. A world great in leadership and held in the highest of respects. He worked hard for peace and kept the country strong and secure for all it’s people. He demonstrated that peace and security go hand in hand. As he said once: “if someone whats to kill to you are a hawk and if someone wants to make peace you’re a dove” RIP
This man was a zealot and a warmonger
@Oisín O’Connor: Shimon Peres did more work for peace probably than any other Israeli leader. Time you read some history and got your facts straight Oisín ;-)
Reading the comments here saddens me greatly. a bit fom Shimon Peres’s words on peace:
“It took Zionism 25 years to overcome its great error — its attempt to ignore the existence of the Palestinians in this land — and Oslo was the true and correct beginning of such a solution. More than anything else, Oslo was proof that we can live in this land another way. “
@Bar C Mendez: and you have seen how Palestinians have been living since then?
Aine, what role has the Palestinian leadership in how Palestinians have been living? Which is preferable, billions wasted on war against Israel, or billions spent on its people? Do you agree with money being siphoned off wholesale to fund hamas and it’s jihad?
@Aine. Have you seen the Palace of Abbas lately? http://www.preoccupiedterritory.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Abbas-palace.jpg At least you know your charity is being put to good use, Abbas thanks you.
RIP Shimon Peres.
@Crimson:
Shimon Peres signs Oslo accords …
“Our land is small, so must our reconciliation be great. I want to tell the Palestinian delegation that we are sincere… Let all of us turn from bullets to ballots, from guns to shovels. We shall pray with you. We shall offer you our help in making Gaza prosper and Jericho blossom again”
Shimon Peres signs Oslo accords
“As we have promised, we shall negotiate with you a permanent settlement, and with all our neighbours a comprehensive peace peace for all.”
The so called Palestinians turned it down, as an Independent Jewish State was intolerable.
I cannot believe you got ten red thumbs for your piece,it shows the crass ignorance of some as to the history of Israel and to sing the praises of terrorists who refused to accept the right of Israel to exist,and before the usual haters start the Jews possessed this land until dispossessed by the Persians and finally the Romans and as a people were driven into exile.I am all for a two nation states living in harmony as promised under the Oslo accord that Arafat wouldn’t or couldn’t deliver hence we are where we are,but Perez never gave up on the prospect of peace.RIP
There is no country called israel. Its cslled Palestine and it always will be.
And yet there never was a country called Palestine !
@Brendan Keegan: The reality is different. Once upon a time there was no country called Ireland or a place called europe, the roman empire once covered the land mass of europe – there was no hungary, austria or Italy in the time of the formation of Israel, Iraq, Iran and most of the middle east were not called what they are today Once upon a time the earth was one country, Iraq was created the dinosaurs roamed for millions of years humans are here for the smallest fraction of the earths history – we have to get on with it.
People with your mindset can sit in the corner stamp there feet and repeat the same mantra or deal with the situation as it is and make the best deal possible for the people. In this case of course is a two state solution Israel and Palestine with Israel giving some ground – whether or not that happens of course is another matter.
Yawn!!
Palestine was used to describe the British protectorate,Israel has been used for several thousands of years.
@Brendan Keegan: There was never an independant Arab state called Palestine..ever.
Arabs are from Arabia
Jews are from Judea.
Where was the ‘Palestinian’ paerliament situated pre 1939? Who was its leader?
The Palestinians are a self invented people by the the Egyptian Arafat.
In the carve up of the Ottaman empire after the defeat of Turkey at the end of WW1 Israel got 0.4% of the land the rest went to all the Arab states
Most of what Israel got was desert the Arabs refused to accept that and fought 3 wars to get it all back
With all its expansion Israel still just the size of Munster
@Brendan Keegan:
Never a truer word spoken…well said crimson…its a pity the majority of people are brainwashed by social media thinking israel are in the wrong…Israel is a very small land mass in the middle east,surrounded by islamic hating nations…They all want israel wiped off the map and that is a fact..The nation of Israel are constantly fighting terrorist attacks from all around there borders…but the thing is…those attacks are never posted on Facebook, or news or newspaper…people should really study the history of the land and the people before they start jumping on the bandwagon and judging israel
Hamas propaganda, Pallywood, BDS, Stab Jihad, the list go’s on. Hamas would rather see the people of Gaza suffer than see an independent Jewish state thrive, while its terrorist ‘leaders’ live in luxury.
Crimson who gives a damn what the Zionist filth vcalk themselves. They all came from other this area. The Palestinians own this land not people from Ukraine, Russia or America.
Brendan demands racial purity! Lol. Ein reich, ein Volk, eh brendan? Lummox.
@Stephen Cumbers: Still isn’t!
@Brendan Keegan:
History proves you wrong, along with the Hamas interior Minister…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkqnBxaZRMo
Now go spew your Hamas propaganda elsewhere.
Charlie,I thought that what the Zionists were doing? Genocide.
Pity mickey d doen’t speak of the great sadness of irish people dying on hospital trollies or the great sadness of record homelessness in ireland but someone of great standing in another country dies and mickey d wants to be seen as being up there with him!
Israeli-bot comments incoming!
RIP – I never knew so many Irish people have lived or visited this part of the world going by all the “expert” analysis carried out here.
Amazing how Israels social media bots are active on the Journal.ie
It’s not often you see the exact moment someone runs out of ideas. Good work Craig.
@Craig Barry: They’re rampant on this site 24/7 , there’ll be more of the usual suspects with their fake accounts in a bit, wait and see, Most are Yanks – they see 50 or 60 likes as a victory for Apartheid-Israel when in actual fact Irish people aren’t ars*d reading about the Middle-East, and it’s their “comrades” giving the “likes”
@Craig Barry: Just the tip of the iceberg http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2014/07/14/mothers-of-all-palestinians-should-also-be-killed-says-israeli-politician
By your logic John, you’re not Irish either then. Lol
@John Burke:
Aparthied? Y
You sir,are an ill informed idiot.
@John Burke:
Muslim Brotherhood paid internet propagandists who also rip off our wefare while spreading Jew-hatred and Yankee-hatred are prevalen on this site.
Any ideas who they might be John Burke?
@Patrick J O’CONNOR: Yawn yawn, same old sh!te, YOU are Hasbara – you ONLY comment on Islam , Israeli related topics , and what’s this OUR ? you’re Canadian and a RACIST – I’m surprised The Journal don’t ban you for incitement to Religious hatred , you have a deep deep hatred for Islam and all things Muslim – is that typical of a Jew ?
The big bad BRAVE IDF shot an “unarmed” 13 yes THIRTEEN year old little girl FIVE times the other day !!!!! that’s only the tip of the iceberg, when are these murdering thugs gonna be brought to justice ???? how many THOUSAND kids have the Israeli Defense Force murdered now , do you know ????
he was a terrorist.
The 2 state solution is impossible because of all the illegal settlement in Occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Israel needs to annex the Occupied Territories and grant the Palestinians full citizenship.
It’s time for the 1 state solution.
Guff. Next.
Israel needs more leaders like Peres and Palestine needs someone like Arafat to sort out a solution to the two state question once and for all. Israel needs to pull back to the 1967 line and Palestine needs to ditch Hamas. Only then can you imagine a republic of Palestine will happen, although it may be unpalatable to many Palestinian supporters in Ireland that it will most likely be called the Islamic Republic of Palestine
@Enda Reynolds:
Yaser Arafat was great at getting kids to be suicide bombers to kill Jews.
And for amassing $4 bill. in cash in Swiss accounts for himself.
RIP Shimon Peres.
Statesman, Grandfather, Patriot.
His words on the Oslo accords …
“Our land is small, so must our reconciliation be great. I want to tell the Palestinian delegation that we are sincere… Let all of us turn from bullets to ballots, from guns to shovels. We shall pray with you. We shall offer you our help in making Gaza prosper and Jericho blossom again”.
“As we have promised, we shall negotiate with you a permanent settlement, and with all our neighbours a comprehensive peace peace for all.”
RIP Shimon Peres. A great leader who tried to bring peace to both Israelis & Palestinians. Imagine if Hamas & their Islamist paymasters in Iran hadn’t destroyed the process. We could have two thriving states side by side in peace but instead we have extremists in Gaza holding their own civilians ransom in a futile war to destroy Israel that they will never win.
The most progressive Israeli leader ever I’d say. Benjamin is deeply saddened my bill*x
Progressive as in not as satanic as the other tramps like Shitsack Rabeen and the current terrorist Blue Hair
Loved his showbiz blog, but I did not think he was that old? Rip Simon
have your say