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Shimon Peres
שמעון פרס
Shimon Peres
Incumbent
Assumed office 
15 July 2007
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Preceded by Dalia Itzik (acting)
In office
04 November 1995 – 18 June 1996
President Ezer Weizman
Preceded by Yitzhak Rabin
Succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu
In office
14 September 1984 – 20 October 1986
President Chaim Herzog
Preceded by Yitzhak Shamir
In office
22 April 1977 – 21 June 1977
Acting
President Ephraim Katzir
Preceded by Yitzhak Rabin
Succeeded by Menachem Begin
Born 2 August 1923 (1923-08-02) (age 84)
Wiszniew, Poland (now Belarus)
Political party Kadima
Spouse Sonya Peres
Children Zvia, Yoni, and Hemi Peres
Religion Judaism
Signature Shimon Peres's signature

Shimon Peres (help·info) (Hebrew: שמעון פרס‎, born Szymon Perski on August 2, 1923) is the ninth and current President of the State of Israel. The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader Dalia Itzik (דליה איציק born 20 October 1952, is an Israeli politician affiliated with the Kadima party The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) (עזר ויצמן ( June 15, 1924 - April 24, 2005) was the seventh President of Israel, serving a seven-year term from 1993 to (בִּנְיָמִין "ביבי" נְתַנְיָהוּ Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, born October 21 1949, Tel Aviv) was Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Chaim Herzog (חיים הרצוג September 17, 1918 – April 17, 1997) served as the sixth President of Israel (1983–1993 following (יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר born Icchak Jaziernicki on 15 October 1915 was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992 Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Ephraim Katzir (born Ephraim Katchalsky on 16 May 1916) is an Israeli biophysicist and former Israeli Labor Party (מְנַחֵם בְּגִין Mieczysław Biegun Менахем Вольфович Бегин 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992 was the sixth prime minister of the State of Israel Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Vishneva (Ві́шнева Вишнево Vishnevo) is a township in the Valozhyn raion of the Minsk Voblast, Belarus, near the border with Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Kadima (קדימה lit Forward) is a political party in Israel. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit Peres has long been a popular and important politician in Israel - he previously served two times as Prime Minister of Israel, one time as Acting Prime Minister, and has served in 12 cabinets over a political career lasting over 66 years. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead An Acting Prime Minister is a Cabinet member (often in a Commonwealth nation who is serving the role of Prime Minister whilst the individual who normally holds the position The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials chosen and led by a Prime Minister. [1]Peres was elected to the Knesset in November 1959 and, except for a three-month-long hiatus in early 2006, served continuously until 2007, when he became President. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit

Born in Poland in 1923, Peres moved with his family to Mandate Palestine in 1934. The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement He held several diplomatic and military positions during and directly after the War for Independence in Israel. His first high level government position was as Deputy Director-General of Defense in 1952, and Director-General in 1953 through 1959. [2] During his career, he has represented five political parties in the Knesset: Mapai, Rafi, the Alignment, Labour and Kadima, and has led Alignment and Labour. for the town in Mozambique see Mapai Mozambique Mapai (מפא"י an acronym for Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael (מפלגת Rafi (רפ"י an acronym for Reshimat Poalei Yisrael (רשימת פועלי ישראל lit The Alignment (המערך HaMa'arakh) was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s Kadima (קדימה lit Forward) is a political party in Israel. Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize together with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for the peace talks which he participated in as Israeli Foreign Minister, producing the Oslo Accords. The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles [2] Peres was nominated in early 2007 by Kadima to run in that year's presidential election, being elected by the Knesset for the presidency on June 13, 2007 and sworn into office on July 15, 2007 for a seven-year term. Kadima (קדימה lit Forward) is a political party in Israel. Shimon Peres, a former Prime Minister and a member of the Kadima party was elected by the Knesset as the next President of Israel on For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [3][4]

Contents

Biography

Early years

Shimon Peres was born on August 2, 1923 in Wiszniew, Poland (now Višnieva, Belarus), to Yitzhak (1896-1962) and Sara (b. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Vishneva (Ві́шнева Вишнево Vishnevo) is a township in the Valozhyn raion of the Minsk Voblast, Belarus, near the border with The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. Vishneva (Ві́шнева Вишнево Vishnevo) is a township in the Valozhyn raion of the Minsk Voblast, Belarus, near the border with Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east 1905 née Meltzer) Perski. [2][5] The family spoke Hebrew, Yiddish and Russian at home, and Peres learned Polish at school. Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. He now speaks English and French in addition to Hebrew. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people [6] His father was a lumber merchant, later branching out into other commodities whilst his mother was a librarian. Peres has a younger brother, Gershon. [7]

Peres's grandfather, Rabbi Zvi Meltzer, a grandson of Rabbi Chaim Volozhin, had a great impact on his life. Rabbi Chaim Ben Yitzchok (Chaim Ickovits or Chaim Volozhin (חיים מוולוז'ין also Chaim Volozhiner or Chaim of Volozhin) ( January In an interview, Peres said: "As a child, I grew up in my great- grandfather’s home… I was educated by him… my grandfather taught me Talmud. It was not as easy as it sounds. My home was not an observant one. My parents were not Orthodox but I was Haredi. At one point, I heard my parents listening to the radio on the Sabbath and I smashed it. " [8]

British Mandate

In 1932, Peres' father immigrated to Palestine and settled in Tel Aviv. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel The family followed him in 1934. [7] He attended Balfour Elementary School and High School, and Geula Gymnasium (High School for Commerce) in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel At 15, he transferred to Ben Shemen agricultural school and lived on Kibbutz Geva for several years. Ben Shemen (בֶּן שֶׁמֶן lit Fruitful is a Moshav in central Israel. Geva (גֶּבַע lit Hill is a Kibbutz in the Jezreel Valley in Israel. [7] Peres was one of the founders of Kibbutz Alumot. A kibbutz ( Hebrew: קיבוץ קִבּוּץ lit "gathering clustering" plural kibbutzim) is a collective community in In 1941 he was elected Secretary of Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed, a Labor Zionist youth movement, and in 1944 returned to Alumot, where he worked as a dairy farmer, shepherd and kibbutz secretary. Histadrut HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed (הסתדרות הנוער העובד והלומד lit Labor Zionism ( Labour Zionism, ציונות סוציאליסטית tsionut sotsialistit) can be described as the major stream of the Left wing of the

Personal life

In 1945, Shimon Peres married Sonya (née Gelman), who has preferred to remain outside the public eye throughout his political career. They have three children: a daughter, Zvia Valdan, a linguist and professor at Beit Berl Teachers Training College; and two sons, Yoni (born 1952), director of Village Veterinary Center, a veterinary hospital on the campus of Kfar Hayarok Agricultural School near Tel Aviv, and Hemi, chairman of Pitango Venture Capital, one of Israel’s largest venture capital funds. [9] Peres has 8 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Sonya Peres was unable to attend Shimon's inauguration ceremony due to ill health. [10] Peres is a first cousin of actress Lauren Bacall (born Betty Joan Perski). [11]

Military and defense

Shimon Peres talks to Donald Rumsfeld. Israeli Ambassador to the USA David Ivry (center) joined them in the talks.
Shimon Peres talks to Donald Rumsfeld. Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9 1932 is a United States Businessman, Politician, the 13th Secretary of Defense under President Israeli Ambassador to the USA David Ivry (center) joined them in the talks. David Ivry (born 1934 was the Israeli Ambassador to the United States from 2000 to 2002 and the ninth commander of the Israeli Air Force

In 1947, Peres joined the Haganah, the predecessor of the Israel Defense Forces. Haganah ( Hebrew: "The Defense" ההגנה was a Jewish Paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit David Ben-Gurion made him responsible for personnel and arms purchases. In 1952, he was appointed Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Defense, and in 1953, at the age of 29, became the youngest ever Director General of the Ministry of Defense. He was involved in arms purchases and establishing strategic alliances that were of great importance for the young State of Israel. Thanks to Peres' mediation, Israel acquired the advanced Dassault Mirage III French jet fighter, established the Dimona nuclear reactor and entered into a tri-national agreement with France and the United Kingdom during the 1956 Suez Crisis. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Negev Nuclear Research Center is an Israeli nuclear installation located in the Negev Desert, about ten kilometers to the south of the city of Dimona The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh

Political career

First steps in politics

Peres was first elected to the Knesset in the 1959 elections, as a member of the Mapai party. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit Elections for the fourth Knesset were held in Israel on 3 November 1959 for the town in Mozambique see Mapai Mozambique Mapai (מפא"י an acronym for Mifleget Poalei Eretz Yisrael (מפלגת He was given the role of Deputy Defense Minister, which he fulfilled until 1965 when he was implicated in the Lavon affair with Moshe Dayan. The Lavon Affair refers to the scandal over a failed Israeli Covert operation in Egypt known as Operation Susannah, in which Israeli military Moshe Dayan, DSO (משה דיין born 20 May 1915 died 16 October 1981 was an Israeli military leader and politician Peres and Dayan left Mapai with David Ben-Gurion to form a new party, Rafi which reconciled with Mapai and joined the Alignment (a left-wing alliance) in 1968. Rafi (רפ"י an acronym for Reshimat Poalei Yisrael (רשימת פועלי ישראל lit The Alignment (המערך HaMa'arakh) was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s

Political milestones in the 1970s

In 1969, Peres was appointed Minister of Immigrant Absorption and in 1970 became Minister of Transportation and Communications. The Immigrant Absorption Minister of Israel (שר לקליטת עלייה Sar leKlitat Aliyah) known until 1951 as the Minister of Immigration (שר העלייה The Transportation Minister of Israel (currently styled as the Minister of Transportation and Road Safety (שר התחבורה והבטיחות בדרכים Sar HaTakhbura In 1974, after a period as Information Minister, he was appointed Minister of Defense in the Yitzhak Rabin government, having been Rabin's chief rival for the post of Prime Minister after Golda Meir resigned in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War. Golda Meir ( גּוֹלְדָּה מֵאִיר جولدا مائير born Golda Mabovitch, 3 May 1898 - 8 December 1978 known as Golda Myerson from 1917-1956 The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום During this time, Peres continued to challenge Rabin for the chairmanship of the party, but in 1977, he again lost to Rabin in the party elections.

Peres succeeded Rabin as party leader prior to the 1977 elections when Rabin stepped down in the wake of a foreign currency scandal involving his wife. The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. As Rabin could not legally resign from the transition government, he officially remained Prime Minister, while Peres became the unofficial acting Prime Minister. Peres led the Alignment to its first ever electoral defeat, when Likud under Menachem Begin won sufficient seats to form a coalition that excluded the left. Likud (ליכוד lit Consolidation) is the major centre-right political party in Israel. (מְנַחֵם בְּגִין Mieczysław Biegun Менахем Вольфович Бегин 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992 was the sixth prime minister of the State of Israel After only a month on top, Peres assumed the role of opposition leader.

Political milestones in the 1980s

After turning back a comeback bid by Rabin in 1980 Peres led his party to another, narrower, loss in the 1981 elections.

In 1984, the Alignment won more seats than any other party but failed to muster the majority of 61 mandates needed to form a left-wing coalition. Therefore, the Alignment and Likud agreed on an unusual "rotation" arrangement in which Peres would serve as Prime Minister and the Likud leader Yitzhak Shamir would be Foreign Minister . (יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר born Icchak Jaziernicki on 15 October 1915 was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992

A highlight of this time in office was a trip to Morocco to confer with King Hassan II. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa King Hassan II (صاحب الجلالة الملك الحسن الثاني class

In rotation with Shamir

After two years, Peres and Shamir traded places. In 1986 he became foreign minister. In 1988, the Alignment led by Peres suffered another narrow defeat. Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1988 He agreed to renew the coalition with the Likud, this time conceding the premiership to Shamir for the entire term. In the national unity government of 1988-1990, Peres served as Vice Premier and Minister of Finance. National governments (alternatively national unity governments or national union governments) are broad Coalition governments consisting of all parties (or Finance Ministers of Israel, 1948-present 1948 - 1952 Eliezer Kaplan 1952 - 1963 Levi Eshkol He and the Alignment finally left the government in 1990, after a failed bid to form a narrow government based on a coalition of the Alignment, small leftist factions and ultra-orthodox parties. Haredi or Chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism.

Political milestones in the 1990s

From 1990, Peres led the opposition in the Knesset, until, in early 1992, he was defeated in the first primary elections of the new Israeli Labor Party (which had been formed by the consolidation of the Alignment into a single unitary party) by Yitzhak Rabin, whom he had replaced fifteen years earlier.

Peres remained active in politics, however, serving as Rabin's foreign minister from 1992 and without Rabin's knowledge, began illegal secret negotiations with Yasser Arafat's PLO organization. Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary When Rabin found out, he let them continue. The negotiations led to the Oslo Accords, which would win Peres, Rabin and Arafat the Nobel Peace Prize. Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor

After Rabin's assassination in 1995, Peres again became Prime Minister. During his term, Peres promoted the use of the Internet in Israel and created the first website of an Israeli prime minister. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks However, he was narrowly defeated by Benjamin Netanyahu in the first direct elections for Prime Minister in 1996. (בִּנְיָמִין "ביבי" נְתַנְיָהוּ Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, born October 21 1949, Tel Aviv) was The first ever election for Prime Minister was held in Israel on 29 May 1996 alongside simultaneous Knesset elections.

In 1997 he did not seek re-election as Labor Party leader and was replaced by Ehud Barak. Ehud Barak (אֵהוּד בָּרָק born Ehud Brog on 12 February 1942) is an Israeli politician former Prime Minister, and Barak rebuffed Peres's attempt to secure the position of party president and upon forming a government in 1999 appointed Peres to the minor post of Minister for Regional Development. Peres played little role in the Barak government.

Political milestones in the 2000s

In 2000 Peres ran for a seven-year term as Israel's President, in a ceremonial head of state position, had he won, as was expected, he would have been the first ex-Prime Minister to be elected President. The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit He lost however, to Likud candidate Moshe Katsav. Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset.

Following Ehud Barak's defeat by Ariel Sharon in the 2001 direct election for Prime Minister, Peres made yet another comeback. (אריאל Elections for Prime Minister were held in Israel on 6 February 2001 following the resignation of the incumbent Labour 's Ehud Barak He led Labor into a national unity government with Sharon's Likud and secured the post of Foreign Minister. The formal leadership of the party passed to Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, and in 2002 to Haifa mayor, Amram Mitzna. Brigadier-General (Res Binyamin "Fouad" Ben-Eliezer (בנימין "פואד" בן אליעזר بنيامين بن إليعازر born 12 February Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with Amram Mitzna (עמרם מצנע born 20 February 1945) is an Israeli politician Peres was much criticized on the left for clinging to his position as Foreign Minister in a government that was not seen as advancing the peace process, despite his own dovish stance. He left office only when Labor resigned in advance of the 2003 elections. After the party under the leadership of Mitzna suffered a crushing defeat, Peres again emerged as interim leader. He led the party into coalition with Sharon once more at the end of 2004 when the latter's support of "disengagement" from Gaza presented a diplomatic program Labor could support.

Shimon Peres with Donald Rumsfeld
Shimon Peres with Donald Rumsfeld

Peres won the chairmanship of the Labor Party in 2005, in advance of the 2006 elections. The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. As party leader, Peres favored pushing off the elections for as long as possible. He claimed that an early election would jeopardize both the September 2005 Gaza withdrawal plan and the standing of the party in a national unity government with Sharon. However, the majority pushed for an earlier date, as younger members of the party, among them Ophir Pines-Paz and Isaac Herzog, overtook established leaders like Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Haim Ramon, in the party ballot to divide up government portfolios. Ophir Pines-Paz (אופיר פינס-פז born 11 July 1961) is an Israeli politician and former Internal Affairs Minister. Isaac "Buji" Herzog (יצחק "בוז'י" הרצוג born 22 September 1960) is an Israeli politician and lawyer Brigadier-General (Res Binyamin "Fouad" Ben-Eliezer (בנימין "פואד" בן אליעזר بنيامين بن إليعازر born 12 February Haim Ramon (חיים רמון born 10 April 1950) is an Israeli Politician and Member of the Knesset for Kadima. It turned out that elections could not be held in June, as planned, when a scandal erupted over possible fraud in registering party members. The investigation of this scandal delayed elections until November 9, 2005. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Irrespective of before or after the delay, Peres continually led in the polls, defying predictions that rivals would overtake him. His bitter exchanges with opponents began when former Prime Minister Barak began backing the holding of primaries early that year, as Amir Peretz and Haim Ramon, two staunch anti-Barak Knesset members vowed to support Peres at any cost to defeat Barak. Amir Peretz (עמיר פרץ عمير بيريتز born 9 March, 1952) is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset. In a bizarre change of events, Peretz soon declared his own candidacy, a move viewed by Peres as the greatest betrayal.

Though Peres continued to trade nasty barbs with Barak in the newspapers, his feud with Peretz soon superseded that, especially when Barak pulled out of the race in early October. One of Peretz's main charges against Peres was that he neglected socio-economic affairs as a member of the Sharon government, and did not fulfill his statement that Labor had joined the coalition with only the intent of seeing through the Gaza Withdrawal. Peres lost the leadership election with 40% to Peretz's 42. 4%. [12]

Joining Kadima

On November 30, 2005 Peres announced that he was leaving the Labor Party to support Ariel Sharon and his new Kadima party. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kadima (קדימה lit Forward) is a political party in Israel. In the immediate aftermath of Sharon's debilitating stroke there was speculation that Peres might take over as leader of the party but most senior Kadima leaders, however, were former members of Likud and indicated their support for Ehud Olmert as Sharon's successor. The illnesses of Ariel Sharon are a series of medical problems that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has experienced especially coming to the Likud (ליכוד lit Consolidation) is the major centre-right political party in Israel. Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader [13]

Labor reportedly tried to woo Peres back to the fold. [14] Peres announced, however, that he supported Olmert and would remain with Kadima. Media reports suggested that Ehud Olmert offered Peres the second slot on the Kadima list, but inferior cabinet positions to the ones that were reportedly offered to Tzipi Livni. Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader Tzipora Malka "Tzipi" Livni (ציפורה מלכה "ציפי" לבני born 8 July 1958 in Tel Aviv, Israel) is Foreign Affairs Minister Peres had previously announced his intention not to run in the March elections. The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. Following Kadima's win in the election, Peres was given the role of Vice Prime Minister and Minister for the Development of the Negev, Galilee and Regional Economy. Deputy leaders in Israel fall into three categories Acting Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister The Development Minister of Israel was a portfolio in the Israeli cabinet between 1953 and 1974

President of Israel

Shimon Peres in December 2007 reflecting on his legacy and whether he will seek a second term.
Shimon Peres in December 2007 reflecting on his legacy and whether he will seek a second term.
Peres with Condoleezza Rice at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv in 2007
Peres with Condoleezza Rice at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv in 2007

On June 13, 2007, Peres was elected President of the State of Israel by the Knesset. Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954 is the 66th United States Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Shimon Peres, a former Prime Minister and a member of the Kadima party was elected by the Knesset as the next President of Israel on 58 of 120 members of the Knesset voted for him in the first round (whereas 38 voted for Reuven Rivlin, and 21 for Colette Avital). His opponents then backed Peres in the second round and 86 members of the Knesset voted in his favor,[15] while 23 objected. He resigned from his role as a Member of the Knesset the same day, having been a member since November 1959 (except for a three month period in early 2006), the longest serving in Israeli political history.

Peres was sworn in as President on July 15, 2007. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final [4] On November 13, 2007, he became the first Israeli president to speak before the legislature of a Muslim country when he addressed the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi - TBMM, usually referred to simply as Meclis - "the Parliament" is the Unicameral [16]

Actions as President

In March 2007, Japan proposed a plan for peace based on common economic development and effort, rather than on continuous wrangling over land. Some Israeli and Palestinian officials stated their support, including Peres, who was then Vice-Premier. [17] In early 2008, this plan moved closer to realization, as plans were announced by Peres for joint economic effort in four locations in the West Bank, in a plan known as the Valley of Peace initiative. The Valley of Peace initiative is an effort to promote economic cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. This effort was to include joint economic and industrial projects, and a jointly-built university, with investment from several countries, including Turkey and Japan. [18]

Political views

Peres was at one time considered something of a hawk. [19] He was a protégé of Ben-Gurion and Dayan and an early supporter of the West Bank settlers during the 1970s. However, after becoming the leader of his party his stance evolved. More recently he has been seen as a dove, and a strong supporter of the notion of peace through economic cooperation. While still opposed, like all mainstream Israeli leaders in the 1970s and early 1980s, to talks with the PLO, he distanced himself from settlers and spoke of the need for "territorial compromise" over the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary For a time he hoped that King Hussein of Jordan could be Israel's Arab negotiating partner rather than Yasser Arafat. Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 Peres met secretly with Hussein in London in 1987 and reached a framework agreement with him, but this was rejected by Israel's then Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir. (יִצְחָק שָׁמִיר born Icchak Jaziernicki on 15 October 1915 was Prime Minister of Israel from 1983 to 1984 and again from 1986 to 1992 Shortly afterward the first intifada erupted, and whatever plausibility King Hussein had as a potential Israeli partner in resolving the fate of the West Bank evaporated. Subsequently, Peres gradually moved closer to support for talks with the PLO, although he avoided making an outright commitment to this policy until 1993.

Peres was perhaps more closely associated with the Oslo Accords than any other Israeli politician (Rabin included) with the possible exception of his own protégé, Yossi Beilin. Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles Dr Yosef "Yossi" Beilin (יוסי ביילין born in Petah Tikva on 12 June 1948) is a Left-wing Israeli politician He has remained an adamant supporter of the Oslo Accords and the Palestinian Authority since their inception despite the First Intifada and the Al-Aqsa Intifada. Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles The First Intifada (1987–1993 (also " Intifada " and "war of the stones" was a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli However, Peres supported Ariel Sharon's military policy of operating the Israeli Defence Forces to thwart suicide bombings. (אריאל The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons

Often, Peres acts as the informal "spokesman" of Israel (even when he is in the opposition) since he earned high prestige and respect among the international public opinion and diplomatic circles. Peres advocates Israel's security policy (military counter terror operations and the Israeli West Bank barrier) against international criticism and de-legitimation efforts from pro-Palestinian circles. Counter-terrorism or counterterrorism refers to the practices tactics, techniques and strategies that Governments militaries, Police departments West bank walljpg|thumb|Aerial view looking east from the Israeli side

Peres' foreign policy outlook is markedly realist. For example, to placate Turkey, the only significant Muslim country in the region that is friendly towards Israel, Peres is reported to have explicitly denied the Armenian genocide. [20] He was quoted, "We reject attempts to create a similarity between the Holocaust and the Armenian allegations. Nothing similar to the Holocaust occurred. It is a tragedy what the Armenians went through but not a genocide. "[21][22][23] The Israeli Foreign Ministry, in addressing the controversy these remarks had created, later suggested that Peres had been misquoted, and that he "absolutely did not say, as the Turkish news agency alleged, 'What the Armenians underwent was a tragedy, not a genocide. '"[24]

On the issue of the nuclear program of Iran and the alleged existential threat this poses for Israel, Peres stated, "I am not in favor of a military attack on Iran, but we must quickly and decisively establish a strong, aggressive coalition of nations that will impose painful economic sanctions on Iran. The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program " He added, "Iran's efforts to achieve nuclear weapons should keep the entire world from sleeping soundly. " In the same speech, Peres compared Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his call to "wipe Israel off the map" to the genocidal threats to European Jewry made by Adolf Hitler in the years prior to the Holocaust. The President of Iran is the highest elected official in the Islamic Republic of Iran, second only to the Supreme Leader. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (محمود احمدی‌نژاد; born October 28, 1956) is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as [25]

Books

Shimon Peres is the author of eleven books, including:

References

  1. ^ Presidency rounds off 66-year career - Haaretz - Israel News
  2. ^ a b c Tore Frangsmyr:Shimon Peres, The Nobel Peace Prize 1994. The Nobel Foundation (1995).
  3. ^ Peres elected President. The Jerusalem Post (2007-06-12). The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language Broadsheet Newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Retrieved on 2007-06-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for
  4. ^ a b Jim Teeple, "Shimon Peres Sworn In as Israel's President", VOA News, July 15, 2007.
  5. ^ Location of Wiszniew on the map of the Second Polish Republic in the years 1921-1939, www.jewishinstitute.org.pl/
  6. ^ Knesset Member, Shimon Peres. Knesset. Retrieved on 2008-02-13. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed
  7. ^ a b c Shimon Peres Biography. Academy of Achievement (2008-02-13). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed
  8. ^ Judy L. Beckham (August 2, 2003). Shimon Peres, 1994 Nobel Peace Prize. Israel-Times.
  9. ^ Not like other murderers Haaretz, 5 November 2007
  10. ^ Sonia Peres regains consciousness. Ynetnews (2007-05-25). Ynetnews is an English language Israel news and content website operated by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read Newspaper, and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Retrieved on 2007-05-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors.
  11. ^ Peres: Not such a bad record after all. The Jerusalem Post (2005-11-12). The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language Broadsheet Newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days Retrieved on 2007-05-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
  12. ^ Israel Labour head to meet Sharon. BBC News (2005-11-10). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1444 - Battle of Varna: The crusading forces of King Vladislaus III of Varna (aka Ulaszlo I of Hungary and Wladyslaw Retrieved on 2007-06-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for
  13. ^ Verter, Yossi (2006-01-06). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Under Peres, Kadima would win 42 seats; under Olmert - 40. Haaretz. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
  14. ^ Shimon Peres calls on his supporters to vote Kadima. Haaretz (2006-01-09). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
  15. ^ Peres elected Israel's president. BBC News (2007-06-13). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Retrieved on 2007-06-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for
  16. ^ Shimon Peres becomes 1st Israeli president to address a Muslim parliament. Jerusalem Post (13 November 2007).
  17. ^ Israelis, Palestinians applaud Japanese development plan Associated Press via Haaretz. com, 3/15/07
  18. ^ Yaakov Lappin (January 18th, 2008). A valley of economic harmony. Jerusalem Post.
  19. ^ Shimon Peres: From Hawk to Dove. Vision. org (Winter 2000). Retrieved on 2007-06-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for
  20. ^ Auron, Yair. The Banality of denial: Israel and the Armenian Genocide. New York City: Transaction Publishers, 2003.
  21. ^ Peres stands accused over denial of "meaningless" Armenian Holocaust, by Robert Fisk
  22. ^ Protest Israeli foreign minister's remarks dismissing Armenian genocide as "meaningless"
  23. ^ Peres to Turks: Our stance on Armenian issue hasn't changed
  24. ^ Auron, Yair. Robert Fisk (born July 12 1946 in Maidstone, Kent) is a British Journalist and is Middle East correspondent The Banality of Denial. 2007, page 127.
  25. ^ Pfeffer, Anshel. "Peres: Fight terror - reduce global dependence on oil." Haaretz. (הארץ "The land" referring to the Land of Israel) founded in 1918 is Israel 's oldest Daily newspaper. 5 May 2008. 5 May 2008.

External links

Preceded by
Yitzhak Rabin		 Leader of the Alignment
1977-1992		 Succeeded by
Yitzhak Rabin
Preceded by
Yitzhak Rabin		 Leader of the Labor Party
1995-1996		 Succeeded by
Ehud Barak
Preceded by
Amram Mitzna		 Leader of the Labor Party
2003-2005		 Succeeded by
Amir Peretz
Persondata
NAME Peres, Shimon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Perske, Shimon (birth name); שִׁמְעוֹן פֶּרֶס (Hebrew)
SHORT DESCRIPTION Israeli politician
DATE OF BIRTH August 2, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Poland
DATE OF DEATH living
PLACE OF DEATH

Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. (הארץ "The land" referring to the Land of Israel) founded in 1918 is Israel 's oldest Daily newspaper. The Alignment (המערך HaMa'arakh) was an alliance of the major left-wing parties in Israel between the 1960s and 1990s Amram Mitzna (עמרם מצנע born 20 February 1945) is an Israeli politician Amir Peretz (עמיר פרץ عمير بيريتز born 9 March, 1952) is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland
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