Israel mourned the death of former President Shimon Peres Wednesday, as leaders from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the last of Israel's founding fathers and the country's most veteran statesman. The government convened a special mourning session at 10 a.m. Wednesday, which began with a moment of silence in Peres' honor. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized Peres: "I join the Israeli public, the Jewish people and many worldwide, bowing my head in memory of the nation's beloved, Shimon Peres. "Shimon dedicated his life to our people's independence. As a visionary, he looked to the future. As a defense official, he worked to bolster Israel in many ways, some of which remain covert to this day. As a man of peace, he worked to his last days to promote peace with our neighbors, to forge a better future for our children. "In his seven years as president, Peres spared no effort to unite the Israeli people, and the public loved him dearly. Not many people in our history have contributed so much to the State of Israel and its people. "On a personal note," Netanyahu continued, "I first met Shimon 40 years ago, at my brother Yoni's grave. I will never forget the kindness he showed me, my brother Ido, and my parents in our moment of grief. "It was only a few days ago, addressing the U.N., that I wished him a speedy recovery on behalf of the entire nation. We all hoped and prayed, and many around the world prayed with us that Shimon, with his unusual strength and characteristic energy, would somehow pull through and come back to us. To my profound regret, our prayers were not answered. "Shimon, the nation's beloved, has now bid us farewell, but he will always be in our hearts and our memory. Shimon Peres' name will be forever be etched in the Jewish people's book of revival, as one of the greatest leaders Israel has ever known, and one of the State of Israel's founding fathers. May his memory be cherished in the nation's heart," Netanyahu concluded. President Reuven Rivlin eulogized his predecessor, saying Peres was "young at heart and had an unwavering belief in the ability to achieve one's goals." "Peres never stopped creating and dreaming, always in the service of the State of Israel and its people. There is not a chapter in the history of the State of Israel which Shimon did not write or play a part. As one man he carried a whole nation on the wings of imagination, on the wings of vision. A man who was a symbol for the great spirit of this people. Shimon made us look far into the future, and we loved him. We loved him because he made us dare to imagine not what was once here, nor what is now, but what could be. "This is a sad day for the Israeli people, and the State of Israel. We all bow our heads at hearing of his passing. I will carry his memory with me, his handshake, his sensible advice which he always gave lovingly, and in particular his spirit of hope which he breathed into this people. The spirit of hope and peace which was his path and desire," Rivlin said. "The Knesset bows its head in sorrow over the passing of the ninth president and former prime minister, Shimon Peres," Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said in a statement. "The State of Israel bids farewell to the head of its family, a man who had seen everything, was involved in everything, and shaped everything. Peres is the story of the Jewish nation and of the State of Israel, be it as a member of a family of Holocaust survivors, an immigrant, an agriculturist, a person involved in the country's security and a statesman. He was among the giants of our national leadership over the past century; a man with much credit to his name, a shining example of a proud Zionist who aspired his entire life to act for the benefit of the country and its citizens. "He always looked to blaze a new trail and bring us all to better places. History will speak volumes of this great man, whose reputation preceded him in Israel and throughout the entire world as a man of wisdom, experience and vision. We will feel his absence greatly, but his fingerprints and the fruits of his labor will be present here for generations to come. I send a warm embrace to his family and sincere condolences to the many people who admired him. May his memory be blessed," Edelstein said. The Israel Defense Forces issued a statement saying, "We bow our heads in respect for a great leader, champion of peace and beloved icon Shimon Peres. Blessed be his memory." IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot issued a statement saying: "President Peres, one of the founders of the State of Israel, a man of vision and action, who worked for Israel for more than seven decades, and left his mark on every aspect of life in Israel, especially the defense establishment. Peres' vision and achievements were a significant milestone in the inception of the Israel Defense Forces and its force building over the years. The IDF offers condolences to the family and salutes the ninth president of Israel." 'One of Israel's greatest leaders' Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) eulogized Peres, who was a longtime member of the Labor party and its precursors, the Mapai and Alignment parties. "Shimon Peres was one of the greatest leaders Israel has ever had. From his youth to his final days, he worked for the State of Israel, and today, at age 93, he has left us. He was a mentor, a friend, and a great leader, who will forever be remembered in Israel's history." Peres, he said, "began as an aide to [Israel's first prime minister, David] Ben-Gurion and went on to became a world-renowned leader -- the president, prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister and Labor leader, a man who was involved in everything that became of Israel," Herzog continued. "One of the great men who have shaped Israel throughout its existence. I met Shimon Peres and his family as a child, and as an adult I was privileged to be his adviser and friend. Much will be said of Peres, but right now, our pain is too great." Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman issued a statement saying Peres "was truly the last of the greats, the last in the generation of Israel's founders. This is a sad day for Israel. Although we had our political differences, over the past few years, especially when he was president and I was foreign minister, we would meet often and talk about the future. I will miss him." Defense Ministry Director General Udi Adam said: "Words cannot describe the tremendous contribution Shimon Peres made to Israel's security. Shimon Peres shaped the character of the Defense Ministry, led the development of the Israel Defense Forces and its strategic capabilities, developed defense relationships between Israel and countries worldwide, and played a key role in developing Israel's defense industries." A statement by Kulanu leader Moshe Kahlon said: "Today we bid farewell to one of the pillars of the State of Israel, a man who saw it through its inception, and through forging its security and economic independence, and was on an ongoing quest for peace. Shimon Peres embodied the creativity, determination and faith that drove Israel to new heights in every field. I send my deepest condolences to his family." Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said that "when a person dies, we say he is 'gone,' as I'm sure all the headlines will say -- but they are wrong. Shimon Peres is not 'gone.' He remains here with us because we are surrounded by the products of his actions, each carrying his unique signature. "Over the years, he also taught us a valuable lesson in leadership. He taught us that true leaders are not measured by how they meet the enemy, but also -- perhaps primarily -- by how they meet their public and tell them everything, even what might be hard to hear. And it hasn't always been easy. The last in a generation of Israeli giants made two main issues his life's work -- building Israel's military might and political power, and the quest for peace. Endeavors of this magnitude do not fade away and they will remain part of our lives forever -- just like Shimon Peres." Unapologetic visionary Education Minister Naftali Bennett ordered schools nationwide to dedicate the first hour of Wednesday's curriculum to Peres' legacy. "Shimon Peres wrote history with his bare hands. He was a pragmatic visionary, a defense official who strove for peace, and a courageous leader, who proudly represented Israel worldwide. I was privileged to meet him many times in recent years and hear of his vision for a country that would be a light onto the nations, exporting its most valuable product -- the Jewish mind," he said. Shas leader Aryeh Deri said, "It was with great pain that I learned of former President Shimon Peres' passing this morning. He was a true friend and I loved him very much. I will always remember him for his wisdom, vision, sensitivity and the great respect he showed everyone. Shas and the Israeli public as a whole grieve for him." Hatnuah Chairwoman Tzipi Livni eulogized, "It is with profound sadness that Israel bids farewell to a great leader, a visionary who devoted his entire life to this country's welfare and security. It is hard to imagine our history without the mark he has left on it, and it's hard to imagine Israel without him. "I never got to say goodbye to Shimon Peres, because saying goodbye was never an option. The aspiration for peace was his fountain of youth and he was unhesitant, unabashed, and unapologetic about it. I saw him ignore cynicism and get angry at apathy, trying to open the eyes of those who did not see what he saw. The world will remember him as a statesman and leader." Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said, "Few are the men who have made such a contribution to Israel as its ninth president, Shimon Peres. His efforts on behalf of Israel's prosperity were extraordinary, and they will be remembered for generations to come. Shimon Peres was a giant; one of the extraordinary individuals who shouldered the challenge of Israel's very foundation and the shaping of its character, the State of Israel will sorely miss him." Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said the ninth president "has numerous credits to his named in building Israel's military might. Peres knew how to bring the people together and greatly aided in bolstering Israel's international standing. While we did not see eye-to-eye politically, I know he dedicated his all to the State of Israel." Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, who heads the Knesset's Symbols and Ceremonies Committee, which plans the funerals of all state officials, said Peres, "who dedicated his life to this country, left a legacy of public service for Israel's security and international standing. Peres was a visionary and I admire the burden he shouldered from a young age until his death. I offer his family and friends my deepest condolences." Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak called Peres "a giant" saying, "A leader and an outstanding statesman has left us. The last of the country's founders and a man who made an immeasurable contribution to Israel's security, its global standing and its efforts for peace. ... His memory will be forever intertwined with Israel's history. May his memory be blessed." Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon and Consul General in New York Dani Dayan offered the family their condolences, calling Peres a "man of hope" and a "giant." "Shimon Peres was a giant of the generation that dreamed of the national liberation of the Jewish people, and made that dream a reality," Dayan said. "Throughout his life, as a civil servant, a minister and as the prime minister, Peres fought tirelessly for peace, prosperity and the protection of the Jewish state -- we owe him more thanks than we could ever express. Until his last day, Shimon never stopped dreaming of a better future for Israel, for the Middle East and for the world. This dream of a better future is his will and testament to us all." Danon added that Peres's life "embodied the narrative of the modern State of Israel. Like the Zionist movement itself, Shimon Peres combined a lifetime of endless contributions to the security of the Jewish state, while never losing hope in a better tomorrow. "We will always remember Shimon Peres for imbuing in us a never-ending sense of the possibility for an even brighter future for Israel." "My friend Shimon had a very rare human quality: He had the ability to change," author Amos Oz said. "When I met Peres in the early 1970s, he was in my eyes a banal hawk. Supporting settlers, a settler lover, a security man, the more land the better, the more power the better. He changed before my eyes ... into an enthusiastic and stubborn believer in Israeli-Palestinian peace and Israeli-Arab peace." Parliament's Symbols and Ceremonies Committee, which plans the funerals of all state officials, convened immediately following the cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning. Peres' funeral will take place on Friday. He will lie in state at the Knesset Plaza on Thursday, to allow the public to bid farewell to Israel's most veteran statesman. Dozens of world leaders are expected to attend the state service, which will be held at the Great Leaders of the Nation's plot on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Among the leaders who have confirmed their arrival are U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, former President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, French President Francois Hollande, Britain's Prince Charles and former British Prime Minister David Cameron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Stephane Dion, German President Joachim Gauck, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Togo President Faure Gnassingbe, Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, and Portuguese Foreign Minister Augosto Santos Silva. Israel's Foreign Ministry believes officials from Egypt and Jordan will attend the funeral, along with other representatives from Arab states.
Video: GPO
