today I wish to honor the life and legacy of a dear friend, a great leader, a pioneer in his own right, someone I admire, and someone many of us have cheered on, President Shimon Peres. President Peres helped build Israel through hard work and tough diplomacy aimed at restarting peace talks, and championed Israel's security and prosperity until his last breath. A giant among statesmen and inspiration to so many, his passing marks an end of an era and is a great loss to Israel, the region, and the world; but his legacy lives on in his unwavering commitment to regional peace and in the future of the Jewish people where generations upon generations will build a better, safer, and more peaceful future. Last night, we got the very sad news that President Peres passed away after suffering a stroke 2 weeks ago, and I want to come to the floor to speak about him. We all know the biography. Born in Poland, he grew up in Tel Aviv and spent some time studying in the United States, including at Harvard University and New School for Social Research in New York. Since the mid-20th century, President Peres committed his life to advancing peace and reconciliation in the Middle East and addressing security issues that faced the region. He became the Director General of Israel's Ministry of Defense at the age of 29 and had an impressive political career that spanned seven decades, which included two terms as Prime Minister and one as President.…
On the recordSeptember 28, 2016
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