Shimon Peres

Shimon Peres (Hebrew: שמעון פרס; born Szymon Perski; 2 August 1923 – 28 September 2016) was a prominent Israeli figure whose political career spanned an impressive 70 years, making significant contributions as both a statesman and a visionary leader. He served two terms as Prime Minister of Israel, first from 1984 to 1986 and again from 1995 to 1996, and held the presidency from 2007 until 2014. Elected to the Knesset in November 1959, Peres was a steadfast member for nearly five decades, representing five different political parties, and remains the longest-serving Knesset member in history.

Peres' political journey began in the late 1940s, where he quickly gained recognition for his diplomatic skills under the mentorship of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's founding leader. He held pivotal roles, including Deputy Director General of Defense at just 28, and was integral in the 1956 Protocol of Sèvres negotiations, praised by British Prime Minister Anthony Eden. His efforts led to the historic 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for the Oslo Accords.

In 1996, he established the Peres Center for Peace, focused on fostering regional collaboration and development. At the time of his passing in 2016, Peres was the world’s oldest head of state and a revered link to Israel's founding generation, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to peace and innovation in the Middle East.