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| Shimon Peres dies: global reaction to former Israeli leader's death – latest | Shimon Peres dies: global reaction to former Israeli leader's death – latest |
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| Here we end our rolling coverage of reaction to the death of former Israeli president Shimon Peres. Please see Guardian correspondent Peter Beaumont’s coverage here, and The Guardian’s obituary here. | |
| 7.17am BST | |
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| Shimon Peres, one of the founding fathers of Israel and a man “at or near the centre of action” for his country’s entire modern history, has died aged 93. | |
| Peres, Israel’s defence, finance, and prime minister (twice) and president for seven years, did more than almost any figure in the country’s history to build up its formidable military might, then dedicated decades of his life trying to forge a lasting peace with the nation’s neighbours. | |
| Peres was a key architect of the 1993 Oslo Accords, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. | |
| He died in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday morning, having suffered a stroke two weeks ago. | |
| His family led condolences, his son Chemi saying: “our father’s legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.” | |
| World leaders paid tribute to his legacy. US President Barack Obama said of his life: “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. My friend Shimon was one of those people.” | |
| Bill Clinton, the US President on whose White House lawns the Oslo Accords were famously signed, wrote: | |
| “I will miss Shimon Peres, my brilliant and eloquent friend. His life was a blessing to all who strive for peace.” | |
| Israel’s current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara expressed “deep personal sorrow over the passing of the nation’s beloved former president”. | |
| But his career, and his legacy, was controversial. Peres’s critics condemned his hawkish drive to build Israel’s nuclear weapons program, his support for illegal settlements in the West Bank, and advocacy for the blockade of Gaza. | |
| The Guardian’s obituary described him as a leader who “engendered controversy”: | |
| Peres was an intriguingly contradictory figure: a romantic in a cynical age, an Israeli icon with a Polish accent and francophone sensibility, who carried about him the taint (deserved or otherwise) of political chicanery. Unlike holiness, he told David Frost, politics is built on compromise. | |
| Peres was an advocate for a two-state solution. He said Palestine, Israel’s closest neighbour, “may become our closest friend”. | |
| If you have children, you cannot feed them forever with flags for breakfast and cartridges for lunch. You need something more substantial. Unless you educate your children and spend less money on conflicts, unless you develop your science, technology and industry, you don’t have a future. | |
| It has been reported in Jerusalem that Peres’s body will lie in state at the Knesset on Thursday. Members of the public will be invited to pay their respects | |
| The country’s ninth president, he will be buried at Mt Herzl, at a plot reserved for Israel’s founding fathers. | |
| 6.53am BST | 6.53am BST |
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| Reports from Jerusalem this morning state the funeral for Shimon Peres will take place on Friday morning. | Reports from Jerusalem this morning state the funeral for Shimon Peres will take place on Friday morning. |
| On Thursday, his body will lie in state at the Knesset. Members of the public will be able to attend to pay respects. | On Thursday, his body will lie in state at the Knesset. Members of the public will be able to attend to pay respects. |
| The Jerusalem Post reports Peres will likely be buried at Mt Herzl, at a plot reserved for the country’s founding fathers. | The Jerusalem Post reports Peres will likely be buried at Mt Herzl, at a plot reserved for the country’s founding fathers. |
| 6.43am BST | 6.43am BST |
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| FM #Steinmeier: „Shimon #Peres will be missed by all of us. We mourn for a brave and wise voice. The world has lost a great statesman." pic.twitter.com/LGy14hE99Y | FM #Steinmeier: „Shimon #Peres will be missed by all of us. We mourn for a brave and wise voice. The world has lost a great statesman." pic.twitter.com/LGy14hE99Y |
| 6.30am BST | 6.30am BST |
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| Peter Beaumont | Peter Beaumont |
| An interesting take on Peres’s political ambition from Haaretz columnist Anshel Pfeffer, says Guardian correspondent Peter Beaumont: | An interesting take on Peres’s political ambition from Haaretz columnist Anshel Pfeffer, says Guardian correspondent Peter Beaumont: |
| Shimon Peres could have respectfully retired from political life at so many points in his career. He would have still had achieved more to build Israel’s security than nearly anyone else alive. | Shimon Peres could have respectfully retired from political life at so many points in his career. He would have still had achieved more to build Israel’s security than nearly anyone else alive. |
| He could have resigned from the Knesset in the mid-1960s, following his mentor and patron David Ben-Gurion. Still in his early 40s, instead of languishing on the backbenchers, a lucrative future in business was open to him, as the man who had negotiated Israel’s most crucial arms and technology deals, and had laid the foundations for its defense industry. | He could have resigned from the Knesset in the mid-1960s, following his mentor and patron David Ben-Gurion. Still in his early 40s, instead of languishing on the backbenchers, a lucrative future in business was open to him, as the man who had negotiated Israel’s most crucial arms and technology deals, and had laid the foundations for its defense industry. |
| In 1977, when he lost the election to Menachem Begin and Likud first came to power, the correct thing would have been to make way for a new generation of Labor Party leaders. But he soldiered on a leader of the opposition, despite another humiliating defeat in 1981. | In 1977, when he lost the election to Menachem Begin and Likud first came to power, the correct thing would have been to make way for a new generation of Labor Party leaders. But he soldiered on a leader of the opposition, despite another humiliating defeat in 1981. |
| The crushing loss in 1996, by a fraction of a point to Benjamin Netanyahu, should have been another clear signal that his time was up. And again, four years later when he lost in a secret ballot for the presidency against political nonentity Moshe Katzav, he kept on going, even when he seemed pathetic to everyone around. | The crushing loss in 1996, by a fraction of a point to Benjamin Netanyahu, should have been another clear signal that his time was up. And again, four years later when he lost in a secret ballot for the presidency against political nonentity Moshe Katzav, he kept on going, even when he seemed pathetic to everyone around. |
| Even when he was pushed by younger prime ministers in to minor cabinet posts way beneath his experience. Even when he twice felt forced to leave the party he had served for over six decades. Even when his last hurrah, a second and finally successful run for president, meant separating from his wife Sonia and leading their last years apart. | Even when he was pushed by younger prime ministers in to minor cabinet posts way beneath his experience. Even when he twice felt forced to leave the party he had served for over six decades. Even when his last hurrah, a second and finally successful run for president, meant separating from his wife Sonia and leading their last years apart. |
| On the way he broke nearly all the Israeli political records of longevity. He served as Knesset member for over 47 years, no one else comes even close. He is the only man to have ever served in all four top government jobs − defense, foreign and finance minister, as well as prime minister. He had reached the top again and again, won the Nobel Peace Prize. But it was never enough and he always wanted to keep going. | On the way he broke nearly all the Israeli political records of longevity. He served as Knesset member for over 47 years, no one else comes even close. He is the only man to have ever served in all four top government jobs − defense, foreign and finance minister, as well as prime minister. He had reached the top again and again, won the Nobel Peace Prize. But it was never enough and he always wanted to keep going. |
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| Peter Beaumont | Peter Beaumont |
| Meanwhile Yaakov Katz in the Jerusalem Post has this take on Peres’s wars and his political disappointments. | Meanwhile Yaakov Katz in the Jerusalem Post has this take on Peres’s wars and his political disappointments. |
| In his 93 years, Peres saw it all and was at every major juncture this country went through in its 68 years of statehood. On the night of November 29, 1947, when the UN voted on the Partition Plan, Peres sat with David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. “Today they dance,” Ben-Gurion said that night. “Tomorrow there will be war.” | In his 93 years, Peres saw it all and was at every major juncture this country went through in its 68 years of statehood. On the night of November 29, 1947, when the UN voted on the Partition Plan, Peres sat with David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. “Today they dance,” Ben-Gurion said that night. “Tomorrow there will be war.” |
| There were many wars, and Peres played a role in them all. | There were many wars, and Peres played a role in them all. |
| Throughout his career he dreamed, always looking at failures as opportunities. While political opponents called him the “eternal loser” for his failure to win several elections, he never let the losses linger. The next day he would be back at work, thinking up new ways to advance the country. | Throughout his career he dreamed, always looking at failures as opportunities. While political opponents called him the “eternal loser” for his failure to win several elections, he never let the losses linger. The next day he would be back at work, thinking up new ways to advance the country. |
| While others viewed his dreams as naïve policy-making – especially with regards to the Palestinians and the Oslo Accords – Peres refused to give up on peace and the opportunities he believed it would afford the Jewish State. | While others viewed his dreams as naïve policy-making – especially with regards to the Palestinians and the Oslo Accords – Peres refused to give up on peace and the opportunities he believed it would afford the Jewish State. |
| 6.18am BST | 6.18am BST |
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| Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull | Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull |
| “Shimon Peres was a fierce defender of Israel’s security and its ability to defend itself. He was equally a tireless advocate for peace.” | “Shimon Peres was a fierce defender of Israel’s security and its ability to defend itself. He was equally a tireless advocate for peace.” |
| 6.09am BST | 6.09am BST |
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| Shimon Peres dies age 93 | Shimon Peres dies age 93 |
| Shimon Peres, one of the founding fathers of Israel and a man “at or near the centre of action” for his country’s entire modern history, has died aged 93. | Shimon Peres, one of the founding fathers of Israel and a man “at or near the centre of action” for his country’s entire modern history, has died aged 93. |
| Peres, Israel’s defence, finance, and prime minister (twice) and president for seven years, did more than almost any figure in the country’s history to build up its formidable military might, then dedicated decades of his life trying to forge a lasting peace with the nation’s neighbours. | Peres, Israel’s defence, finance, and prime minister (twice) and president for seven years, did more than almost any figure in the country’s history to build up its formidable military might, then dedicated decades of his life trying to forge a lasting peace with the nation’s neighbours. |
| Peres was a key architect of the 1993 Oslo Accords, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. | Peres was a key architect of the 1993 Oslo Accords, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. |
| He died in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday morning, having suffered a stroke two weeks ago. | He died in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday morning, having suffered a stroke two weeks ago. |
| His son Chemi confirmed his death: “Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the ninth president of Israel”. | His son Chemi confirmed his death: “Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the ninth president of Israel”. |
| “Our father’s legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.” | “Our father’s legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.” |
| 5.34am BST | 5.34am BST |
| 05:34 | 05:34 |
| “Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel,” Peres’s son Chemi said at the medical centre where his father was being treated in the final days of his life. | “Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel,” Peres’s son Chemi said at the medical centre where his father was being treated in the final days of his life. |
| “Our father’s legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.” | “Our father’s legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.” |
| 5.32am BST | 5.32am BST |
| 05:32 | 05:32 |
| The Guardian’s obituary says “ever since the state of Israel was created in 1948, Shimon Peres... was at or near the centre of action”. | The Guardian’s obituary says “ever since the state of Israel was created in 1948, Shimon Peres... was at or near the centre of action”. |
| Peres was an intriguingly contradictory figure: a romantic in a cynical age, an Israeli icon with a Polish accent and francophone sensibility, who carried about him the taint (deserved or otherwise) of political chicanery. Unlike holiness, he told David Frost, politics is built on compromise. | Peres was an intriguingly contradictory figure: a romantic in a cynical age, an Israeli icon with a Polish accent and francophone sensibility, who carried about him the taint (deserved or otherwise) of political chicanery. Unlike holiness, he told David Frost, politics is built on compromise. |