President Reuven Rivlin’s Eulogy at the Funeral of Israel’s Ninth President Shimon Peres
“Laugh and play with my dreams, I am the dreamer who wanders. Play because in man I will believe, and I still believe in you.” So wrote the poet Shaul Tchernichovsky, and so you played, our dear President, during the uplifting moments of elation, in times of difficulty and crisis, and with the small joys of day to day life, “because in man I will believe, and I still believe in you.”
I am speaking to you today for the final time Shimon, “as one President to another,” as you would say each time you called to offer strength and good advice. As I speak, my eyes search for you, our dear brother, our older brother, and you are not there. Today you are gathered to your forefathers in the land which you loved so, but your dreams remain, and your beliefs uninterred. As one man you carried an entire nation on the wings of imagination, on the wings of vision. The “brave son”, was the pseudonym you chose as a youth, as the name of Isaiah the Prophet, a visionary. Yet, you were not only a man of vision, you were a man of deeds. Like you, I was also born into the Zionist Movement in those decisive years between vision and fulfillment. I was fortunate to look up to you as a partner in the building of the State of Israel from its very foundations. For both of us, the State of Israel could never be taken for granted. However, with much thanks to you Shimon, for our sons and daughters, for our friends – and yes for our opponents – the State of Israel is an indisputable fact.
You had the rare ability Shimon, to conceive what seemed to be the inconceivable, and see it to fruition. Your eyes saw far ahead, while your feet covered great distances on the landscape of Jewish and Zionist history. You always walked onward and upward, as a skilled mountaineer who secures his hook before ascending ever higher to the peak. This is how you lived your life. At first you would dream, and only when in your mind’s eye could you truly see the State of Israel reaching new heights, would you then begin to climb, and take us all with you towards the new goal. You succeeded in moving even the most stubborn of politicians, and to melt away even the hardest of hearts of our opponents. You strived until your final breaths to reach the pinnacle of the Zionist dream: an independent, sovereign state, existing in peace with our neighbors. Yet you also knew that true peace could only be achieve from a position of strength, and you were sure to secure the path to this goal. Few among us understand, and much more will be written about how many mountains you moved, from the days of the State’s establishment and till today in order to ensure our security and our military qualitative edge. How deep was your belief in the sacred combination of ethical leadership and military prowess, that Israel must act not just with wisdom, but with justice, faithful at every moment to its values as a Jewish and democratic state, democratic and Jewish.
My dear Shimon, you were the only one in the history of the State of Israel to serve in the three most senior positions in government: Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and Finance Minister. You are the only one to have served as Prime Minister and as President. It is no exaggeration to say that: more than you were blessed to be President of this great nation, this nation was blessed to have you as its President. In all these roles you were our head, but even more so, my dear friend, you were our heart; a heart that loved the people, the land, and the State. A heart which loved each and every person, a heart which cared for them.
Your stubborn faith in mankind and the good of people - in the victory of progress over ignorance, in the victory of hope over fear - was your eternal fountain of youth, thanks to which you were the eternal fountain of youth for all of us. The man of whom we thought time could never stop. With all your love for history and tremendous knowledge of history, you despised wallowing in the past, or being entrenched in a sense of self justice at the cost of the possibilities and opportunities that tomorrow brings. “The future is more important than the past” you said. “What happened yesterday does not interest me, only tomorrow does,” you would say. The love you received, which transcended political divides in the later years of your life - from your supporters and opponents - was an expression of the yearning of all us to be infected by your unequivocal optimism. Even when we did not agree with you we wanted to believe that perhaps you were right. Believe me, it was not easy to refuse your optimism, and at times your innocence. Who more than you knew the heavy price of innocence, and yet, who more than you believed that heavier still was the price of mediocracy and being of little faith?
Shimon, I unashamedly confess, on the eve of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, at your graveside among the graves of the leaders of our nation, also your forgiveness must be asked. We will ask your forgiveness. It was permitted to disagree with you. Your opponents had a duty to express their opinion. However, there were years in which red lines were crossed between ideological disputes and words and deeds which had no place. You always acted according to what you believed with all you heart was best for the people, whom you served.
As President, you were for us an honest advocate. You taught many around the world to love the State of Israel, and you taught us to love ourselves, not to speak ill, and see the good and the beautiful in everything.
This is a sad day, Shimon, this is a sad day. The journey of your dreams which began in Vishnyeva, comes to its end in Jerusalem our capital, which is also a dream which became a reality. Your death is a great personal and national loss, as it is also the end on an era, the end of the era of giants whose lives’ stories are the stories of the Zionist movement and the State of Israel. This is our profound feeling today. A feeling of the end of an era in the nation’s life, the end of a chapter in our lives. Our farewell to you is also a farewell to us from ourselves. When we see world leaders - our friends from near and far - who have come here to bid you their final respects, we understand that not only here but across the world you will be missed. And all of us already miss you. Farewell Shimon. The man whose ‘ways are pleasant, and all of his paths peaceful’. Rest in peace, and act (in Heaven) as an honest advocate for the people of Israel whom you loved so. “Because my soul aspires for freedom, I did not sell her for a golden calf. Because I will also believe in man, in his spirit, his spirit of strength.” Farewell Mr. President.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Eulogy at the Funeral of Israel’s Ninth President Shimon Peres
"You have come from near and far to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, to pay last respects to Shimon Peres, one of the founders of the state, one of the greatest leaders of our nation, a venerable leader, the remarkable Shimon Peres.
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[Transcribed from English]
I want to thank you all for coming today.
That so many leaders came from around the world to bid farewell to Shimon, is a testament to his optimism, his quest for peace, his love of Israel.
The people of Israel deeply appreciate the honor you have shown Shimon and the state to which he dedicated his life.
Shimon lived a life of purpose. He soared to incredible heights. He swept so many with his vison and his hope. He was a great man of Israel. He was a great man of the world.
Israel grieves for him. The world grieves for him. But we find hope in his legacy, as does the world.
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[Translated from Hebrew]
My friends,
Shimon Peres not only led a long life, but a meaningful life.
He played an active role as a senior partner in the national rebirth of the Jewish people.
He belonged to the generation that emerged from bondage to liberty, that struck roots in our ancient homeland, and wielded the Sword of David in its defense.
Shimon made a monumental contribution to guaranteeing our capacity to defend ourselves for generations.
And for that he will have the gratitude of generations.
At the same time, he made every effort throughout his adult life to achieve piece with our neighbors.
It is no secret that Shimon and I were political rivals, but over time we became friends, close friends.
In one of our many late night meetings at the President's House, late at night, I asked him, "Tell me, Shimon, throughout your long career, who were the Israeli leaders you most revered?"
Before he managed to answer me, I said, "The first one is clear. You studied at the feet of Ben-Gurion."
For indeed, as a young man, Shimon saw how Ben-Gurion forged our freedom and shouldered the responsibility for building Israel and securing its destiny.
But in the same conversation, he also talked about Rabin, Begin, and other leaders with genuine appreciation for their unique contributions to our state.
He then surprised me somewhat when he also mentioned one other person – Moshe Dayan.
Shimon talked about Dayan's valor on the battlefield and his originality, and one other characteristic.
"Moshe never cared what anybody thought about him," Shimon told me.
"Dayan completely ignored political considerations. He was what he wanted to be."
Shimon appreciated these qualities, but he also knew one other truth – that if you want to realize the things you believe in, your diplomatic, economic and social goals, you can't really disconnect from politics.
And therefore, in the 50 years that he served in Knesset and in government, Shimon lived in that inherent tension between statesmanship and politics.
He soared on the wings of vision but he knew that the runway passes through the rocky field of politics.
He was able to do all that—to be pummeled, to fall and get back on his feet time after time—thanks to his passion for activism and ideals.
I first encountered that passion, here, on this very hill 40 years ago.
Two days after the bold rescue operation in Entebbe in which my brother gave his life, Yoni's funeral was held here.
As defense minister, together with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon approved that operation.
At the funeral, he delivered a deeply stirring eulogy, which I will never forget.
It was the first time I ever met him.
My late parents, my brother, and I were profoundly moved by what he said about Yoni, about the Operation, about the bond with our forefathers, and about the pride of our nation.
From that point on, a special bond was formed between us.
Shimon and I disagreed about many things, but those disagreements never overshadowed our many warm and thoughtful discussions.
Our friendship deepened with each meeting.
Yet we never glossed over our differences of opinion.
In one of our nearly night-long discussions, we addressed a fundamental question: From Israel's perspective, what is paramount - security or peace?
Shimon enthusiastically replied, "Bibi, peace is the true security. If there will be peace, there will be security."
And I responded to him, "Shimon, in the Middle East, security is essential for achieving peace and for maintaining it."
The debate intensified.
We went back and forth for hours, flinging arguments at one another.
He came from the left, I came from the right.
I came from the right, and he came back from the left.
And in the end – like two worn-out prizefighters – we put down our gloves.
I saw in his eyes, and I think he saw in mine, that our principles stemmed from deep-seeded beliefs and a commitment to the cause – ensuring Israel's future.
My friends, do you know what surprising conclusion I reached with the passage of time?
We were both right.
In a turbulent Middle East in which only the strong survive, peace will not be achieved other than by permanently preserving our power.
But power is not an end in itself.
It's a means to an end.
That goal is to ensure our national existence and co-existence.
To promote progress, prosperity and peace – for us, for the nations of the region, and for our Palestinian neighbors.
Distinguished guests,
Shimon also reached the conclusion that no one camp has a monopoly on truth.
The day after his swearing in as Israel's 9th president, he attended the official memorial ceremony for Ze'ev Jabotinsky, whom I regard as one of my spiritual mentors.
Addressing the ceremony, Shimon said, "History bestowed on the two major streams of Zionism – the Labor movement and the Jabotinsky movement – the task of building the Zionist enterprise. The many gaps between these two camps have narrowed on many issues. The adherents of these streams are today partners in political parties and in the leadership of the state – something that was inconceivable in the distant past."
"It seems," Shimon concluded, "that King Solomon was right. Two are better than one."
At the end of his speech, I approached him, shook his hand and warmly thanked him for his unifying message.
Nine years later, two months ago, my wife and I came to honor Shimon at the opening of the "Peres Center for Innovation."
Nano and medical technology, neuroscience and computer engineering, satellites and robotics - all were on prominent display.
Shimon radiated pride. I don't think I had ever seen him that happy.
It was the realization of one of his dreams.
He put a pair of 3-D glasses over his eyes – the same eyes from which his corneas have been donated for the benefit of the next generation.
Nothing could be more symbolic.
Shimon always looked to the future. He believed, as we believe, in progress, in science and technology.
They have the power to strengthen our security as well as to lay the future foundations for peace.
If we nurture these capabilities and act resolutely against the enemies of progress, modernity will triumph over barbarism, good will win out over evil, and light will defeat darkness.
Shimon, my friend, you said that one of the few times you shed a tear was when you heard the tragic news of the death of my brother Yoni in Entebbe.
You cried then, Shimon. And today, I weep for you.
I loved you. We all love you.
Be at peace, Shimon, dear friend, great leader.
We will cherish your memory in the heart of our nation and – I can confidently say – in the heart of all nations."