Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Former Israeli President Shimon Peres

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today: 

"I was deeply saddened to learn of former President Shimon Peres’s passing.  Among the last of modern Israel's founding generation, he served his nation faithfully and with courage in times of war and peace, heartbreak and joy. Shimon Peres was truly one of the wise men in the world, a champion of working people, a visionary like the prophets of old.

“I had the pleasure of knowing President Peres for almost forty years, working with him to advance the U.S.-Israel relationship that remains a bedrock of American foreign policy. On my many trips bringing Members of Congress to Israel, I was always eager to spend time with him, and in those visits President Peres was ever the optimist, inspirational as always, and unfailingly kind-hearted. I was honored by his invitation to join him to meet with a group of young people who, inspired by his work, were carrying on the pioneering spirit of Israel’s founders by constructing new communities in the Negev Desert. It was a special moment shared with a man I deeply admired, bringing to life his vision connecting the Zionist ideals of his youth with the building of his country’s future.

“Throughout his storied career, President Peres stepped up and served in nearly every major role in Israel’s government and helped steer the country through moments of challenge and uncertainty. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his indefatigable belief in the possibility of a better future for Israelis and Palestinians and his assiduous efforts toward bringing it to fruition. He never wavered in his commitment to the rights of workers at home and abroad, fighting for equal opportunity and economic security, and he was a strong promoter of Israel’s development of an advanced technology sector that today is among the most important in the world. Even after leaving government service, he never stopped being an advocate for Israel.

"Today Israel mourns a great leader, America mourns a great friend, and the world mourns a great practitioner of justice and peace. My thoughts and sympathies are with the Peres family and with all the people of Israel in this hour of sorrow.”