Religious funeral ceremony for former Israeli president Shimon Peres is held on Jerusalem's Mount Herzl. Numerous statesmen from all over the world are present at the funeral, including US President Barack Obama, French President François Hollande, German President Joachim Gauck, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Palestinian President Abu Mazen (who returns to Jerusalem for the first time since 2010), as well as of course the Israeli premier Benyamin Netanyahu.
“Force is only a means, but the end is peace – said Netanyahu -. In the tumultuous Middle East where only the strong resist, peace will not be achieved unless we guarantee our power. But the goals – added the Israeli premier pointing to Abu Mazen, seated in the front row, whose hand he shook before starting his speech – are prosperity and peace, for us and for our neighbours”.
According to Obama, Peres "forged the history of Israel" and "shaped" his country. The American president then said: "Todà rabbà, haver yakar (thanks so much, dear friend)", echoing the farewell phrase that then-President Bill Clinton addressed to Yitzhak Rabin during the state funeral in Jerusalem in 1995.
Peres had suffered a stroke two weeks ago which had forced him to hospitalize. After the first treatments, the doctors had spoken of a critical but stable condition. On Tuesday, the sudden deterioration in health conditions that led to death on Wednesday.
