Shimon Peres

Profession: Israeli Statesman

Nationality:

Biography: Shimon Peres served as both prime minister and president of Israel during his nearly 70-year career. He held more high-level government positions than any other Israeli leader.

As a young man, Peres worked closely with Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. In the 1950s, Peres played a key role in building up Israel's military and nuclear abilities as the head of the defense ministry.

Although he started out as a hawk, Peres later became Israel's top advocate for making peace with the Palestinians and Arab world. He helped make the Oslo Accords peace agreement in 1993 and won the Nobel Peace Prize the next year along with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

Peres was prime minister of Israel from 1984 to 1986 and again from 1995 to 1996. After losing an election in 1996, he started the Peres Center for Peace with the aim of helping Israelis and Palestinians live together peacefully.

In 2007, the Israeli parliament picked 90-year-old Peres to be the country's president. He used the position to meet with many world leaders and further peace talks internationally.

Even after leaving politics, Peres stayed active and became the first Israeli leader to make regular use of social media. Aside from politics, he was also a poet and songwriter.

Born: August 2, 1923
Birthplace: Wiszniew, Second Polish Republic

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Pig
Star Sign: Leo

Died: September 28, 2016 (aged 93)
Cause of Death: Stroke