The whole world seems to be coming to Peres’
funeral. One should bear in mind that much of the world’s love for Peres is due
to the justifiable hatred of and disgust by Bibi.
Peres described himself as a man of peace
and this is also how he is seen outside Israel. This is somewhat simplistic. He
was above all a brilliant operator, mainly in the defence and security realm.
Ben Gurion, in his wisdom, recognised Peres’ abilities and made him director
general of the country’s ministry of defence at a young age of 29. Ever since
and throughout his long career, Peres had his finger in every one of Israel’s
defence pies, for good and for bad.
He became a “peace camp” politician rather
late in the day. Indeed, the man, who tried to conclude a peace treaty with the
Palestinians, was one of the first enablers of Israel’s illegal settlements in
the areas it occupied during the 1967 Six Day War. He too, like many other
labour party politicians, was land greedy.
Therefore, if you must read them - the eulogies -
don’t just take them at face value.
