Shimon Peres
August 2, 1923 — September 28, 2016 — Wiszniew, Poland (now Vishnyeva, Belarus)
Shimon Peres was an Israeli politician and statesman whose career spanned an extraordinary 70 years, during which he served twice as prime minister and later as president of Israel. A founding-generation leader who represented five political parties across twelve cabinets, Peres became the longest-serving member in the history of the Knesset. He remains best known internationally for his role in the Oslo Peace Accords, for which he shared the Nobel Peace Prize.
Early Life and Immigration
Shimon Peres was born Szymon Perski in 1923 in Wiszniew, then part of Poland (now Belarus). He immigrated to British Mandatory Palestine with his family in 1934, settling into the young Zionist community that would soon become the State of Israel. As a teenager, he joined a kibbutz and became active in the Labor Zionist youth movement, absorbing the pioneering ethos that shaped his political identity for the rest of his life. Peres would later be remembered as the last Israeli prime minister to have made aliyah, rather than being born on the land that became Israel, making him a living bridge to the country's founding generation. His early years were marked by close involvement with the institutions of the pre-state Jewish community, including work in defense organization and settlement activity, which brought him into contact with Israel's founding leaders, most notably David Ben-Gurion, who became an important mentor and shaped Peres's early rise within the defense and political establishment of the emerging nation.
A 70-Year Political Career
Peres was first elected to the Knesset in November 1959 and went on to serve almost continuously until his election as president in 2007, amassing 48 years of Knesset service, the longest tenure in its history. Over his career he represented five different political parties and sat in twelve cabinets, holding numerous ministerial portfolios including defense, foreign affairs, and finance. He served as prime minister twice, first from 1984 to 1986 under a rotation agreement, and again briefly from 1995 to 1996 following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Peres was a driving force behind Israel's nuclear program in its early decades and later became a central architect of the peace process with the Palestinians. His pursuit of diplomacy culminated in the 1993 Oslo Accords, negotiated with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, for which Peres, Arafat, and Rabin jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. This achievement cemented his reputation as one of Israel's foremost statesmen on the world stage.
Did You Know?
Shimon Peres was born Szymon Perski in a small town now located in Belarus and did not become an Israeli citizen by birth, making him the last Israeli prime minister who had emigrated to the land rather than being born there. He also holds the record as the longest-serving member of the Knesset in history, with 48 years of service.
Presidency, Legacy, and Death
In 2007, Peres was elected president of Israel, a largely ceremonial role he held until 2014. At the time of his retirement from politics, he was the world's oldest serving head of state, and he was widely regarded as the last surviving link to Israel's founding generation. As president, he continued to advocate for peace, technology, and youth engagement, using the office's moral authority to promote reconciliation and innovation. Peres died on September 28, 2016, in Ramat Gan, Israel, following a stroke, at the age of 93. His funeral drew world leaders from across the globe, reflecting his stature as an elder statesman of international diplomacy. He left behind a complex and debated legacy, celebrated by many as a visionary peacemaker and modernizer, while others criticized aspects of his record on security and settlement policy. Nonetheless, his decades of service, transformation from hawkish defense architect to Nobel-winning peace negotiator, and his role in shaping the modern Israeli state secure his place as one of the most significant figures in Israel's history.
