Congressman Lowenthal Statement on the Passing of Shimon Peres
September 30, 2016
Speech and Floor Statement
Congressman Alan Lowenthal released the following statement on the passing of former President and Prime Minister of Israel Shimon Peres:
I am honored to be a part of President Obama's official delegation to Israel to attend the state funeral of former President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres. President Obama's bipartisan delegation—composed of nearly 20 members of Congress, as well as former President Bill Clinton and current members of the President's cabinet and administration—only highlights the tremendous respect the United States felt for Shimon Peres. It also reinforces the deep bonds that exist between the U.S. and Israel, our most steadfast ally in the Middle East.
In the passing of Shimon Peres, the world has lost not only one of the enduring pillars of the founding of Israel, but a true statesman and leader in the efforts of peace.
A fixture in the Israeli government and Israeli politics for more than six decades, he was the ninth president of Israel, served twice as Prime Minister, and was a member of 12 Israeli government cabinets. Throughout his long career of public service, Shimon Peres never gave up on the fight for peace. To honor his efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014. He was a true humanitarian, and warrior for a more just world.
It is only fitting that we as a nation honor him and the legacy of public service he leaves behind. I am proud to be part of that tribute.
We will miss Shimon Peres, but will not lose sight of his dreams of peace, the lives he touched, and the impact he had on the world.
I am honored to be a part of President Obama's official delegation to Israel to attend the state funeral of former President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres. President Obama's bipartisan delegation—composed of nearly 20 members of Congress, as well as former President Bill Clinton and current members of the President's cabinet and administration—only highlights the tremendous respect the United States felt for Shimon Peres. It also reinforces the deep bonds that exist between the U.S. and Israel, our most steadfast ally in the Middle East.
In the passing of Shimon Peres, the world has lost not only one of the enduring pillars of the founding of Israel, but a true statesman and leader in the efforts of peace.
A fixture in the Israeli government and Israeli politics for more than six decades, he was the ninth president of Israel, served twice as Prime Minister, and was a member of 12 Israeli government cabinets. Throughout his long career of public service, Shimon Peres never gave up on the fight for peace. To honor his efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014. He was a true humanitarian, and warrior for a more just world.
It is only fitting that we as a nation honor him and the legacy of public service he leaves behind. I am proud to be part of that tribute.
We will miss Shimon Peres, but will not lose sight of his dreams of peace, the lives he touched, and the impact he had on the world.
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