Israel begins paying last respects to Peres
JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel and global leaders mourned the death of ex-president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres on Wednesday as the country prepared for a funeral expected to be attended by major world figures.
Peres, who was 93, held nearly every major office in the country, serving twice as prime minister and also as president, a mostly ceremonial role, from 2007 to 2014.
He won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state.
Peres died Wednesday around 3 a. m. ( 0000 GMT), Rafi Walden, who was Peres’ personal doctor and also his son-in-law, told AFP.
His family praised Peres’ tireless work ethic and what they called his devotion to peace.
“He had no interest other than serving the people of Israel,” said his son Chemi.
US President Barack Obama, Britain’s Prince Charles, Bill Clinton, French President Francois Hollande, German President Joachim Gauck and Spain’s King Felipe VI are expected to attend Peres’ funeral at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl on Saturday.
Clinton, who helped usher in the Oslo peace accords when he was US president, said: “The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation.
“I’ll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations.”