Shimon Peres, former Israeli leader, dies at 93
Nobel Peace Prize laureate mourned
JERUSALEM — Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, died early Wednesday, a person close to him confirmed. Peres was 93.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss Peres’ health with the media. The family said it would issue a formal announcement shortly.
Peres’ condition worsened following a major stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement mourning the passing of Peres. He said he will convene his Cabinet for a special session later in the day.
As word of Peres’ death spread, reaction started pouring in from around the globe.
President Barack Obama eulogized him as a man who represented “the essence of Israel itself.”
“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,” he said. “A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever.”
Former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also issued statements of mourning.
Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is the elder statesman of Israeli politics, one of the country’s most admired leaders and the last surviving link to its founding fathers.
In an unprecedented sevendecade political career, Peres filled nearly every position in Israeli public life and was credited with leading the country through some of its most defining moments, from creating its nuclear arsenal in the 1950s, to disentangling its troops from Lebanon and rescuing its economy from tripledigit inflation in the 1980s, to guiding it into peace talks with the Palestinians in the 1990s.