Israelis and the entire world are mourning the death of the 7th prime Minister of the State of Israel, Yitzhak SHAMIR, whose death was announced by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday 30th June 2012 at 96. Retired from active political life, the former PM had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for a number of years.

In a condolence statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that "Yitzhak Shamir belonged to the generation of giants that established the State of Israel and fought for the freedom of the Jewish people in their homeland. Shamir led the State of Israel with a deep devotion to the nation and land. Shamir, who lost his family in the Holocaust, fought in the Lehi, and worked as Prime Minister to defend the State of Israel and secure its future, always having the citizens of the State in mind. Shamir was exemplary in his staunch devotion to the Land of Israel and the eternal values of the Jewish People."

Yitzhak SHAMIR was Prime Minister from 1983 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1992. He made his last public appearance on the International scene in October 1991 at the Madrid Conference where he opened Middle East Peace talks.

He had a strong devotion to diplomatic relations with the Arab world and the Peace process. He was also at the forefront of reopening diplomatic relations between Israel and African countries from 1986.

Yitzhak SHAMIR seen here with President Paul Biya when he visited Cameroon in 1987.

His funeral is scheduled for Monday 2nd June 2012 on Mount Herzl, close to his wife Shulamit who died in 2012
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