Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today issued the following statement on the passing of Shimon Peres, former president of Israel and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize:

“Shimon Peres challenged all of us to live as optimists. Where others saw opposition, he saw opportunity. He spent his life fighting for peace and inspired leaders around the globe to share that vision.

“From the humble beginnings as a Polish immigrant who lost his family in the Holocaust, he rose to serve in every major cabinet position in the Knesset and eventually as the ninth president of Israel. In more than 70 years of service to the Israeli people, Shimon Peres transformed not just the country he helped found but the entire Middle East by demonstrating peace was possible. Without his tenacity and statesmanship, the Oslo Accords would have remained nothing more than a dream.

“I was honored to call Shimon Peres my friend and was saddened to learn of his passing. Two years ago, I was fortunate to witness him be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts to foster US-Israel relations. We lost a remarkable leader but his legacy lives on in the unbreakable bond he helped forge between our two nations.”

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