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Shimon Peres Funeral. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired September 30, 2016 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[03:00:00] REUVEN RIVLIN, ISARAELI PRESIDENT (TRANSLATED): -- your thoughts about how Israel would reach the summit only then you started -- you brought everybody with you to the peak. You were able to move the stubborn people and those who objected until your last breath you aimed for the peaks to bring peace with our neighbors but you also knew, you knew that real peace can only be achieved from strength.

Few between us, few in this world are able to achieve the summits that you reach and the achievements that you made. Israel has to be clever, faithful, as a Jewish country to democratic and Jewish.

Shimon, my dear, you were the only person in the history of Israel who as President and also Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, also President of this wonderful country but also, you also a head, but you also a man and friend and had a heart which loved people, the country and state.

A heart which took care of them, a wide heart like a big heart. Your belief in man and the good people in the fear -- in the hope overcoming fear and because of this you were and you are savior to all of us. The -- enough to talk about the past, the future is more important than the past, you said. It doesn't interest me, you used to say. That's how you said it.

Without your days and everything you did and those against you, you were optimistic and that was your main character. Also when we didn't agree with you, we wanted to believe that maybe you were the one who was right. It was difficult to give in to your optimism and your naivete. Who apart from you believed?

Shimon, on the eve of the New Year, in the section of the great of nation, I want to ask you if it was possible to disagree with you through the years when red lines were drawn between -- you always said everything that you felt in your heart to the country that you served. And you are -- you taught many in the world to love Israel and you also taught us to love ourselves, not to talk about the bad things but to see the good things.

[03:05:02] It's a sad day, Shimon. The journey of your dreams that started in Poland have come to an end here in Jerusalem, which is also a dream which became reality. It's the story of the Zionist movement of Israel. This is a deep feeling. Also a deep feeling stay with the feeling various through his life. A chapter in life has ended.

We see here all the leaders of the world. All the leaders of the world are friends from afar, close and far that who come here to give you your last honor. We understand that not only here but also in the whole world they are proud of you. And we are already missing you.

Let there be peace, Shimon. Rest in peace and bring days of joy to Israel that you love so much.

Let there be peace.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just been listening to the first of the eulogies at the funeral of Israel's ninth President Shimon Peres on Mount. Hertzl in Jerusalem. It is the 30th of September. President Reuven Rivlin delivering the first eulogy. Prime Minister Netanyahu is next.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Grandchildren and the Peres family, the honored guest guests.

President Clinton, and Felipe of Spain, Prince Charles, with Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers, friends from near and far.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Honored guests from Israel and around the world. You have come from far and near to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel to give the last honor to Shimon Peres. One of the founding fathers of our state, one of the leaders, big leaders who have come to our people. A leader in a world, Shimon Peres wonderful.

I want to thank you all for coming today. We have so many leaders came from around the world to bid farewell to Shimon is a testament to his optimism, his quest for peace, his love of Israel.

[03:10:03] The people of Israel deeply appreciate the honor you have shown Shimon and the state to which he dedicated his life. Shimon lived a life of purpose. He soared to incredible heights. He swept so many with his vision and his hope. He was a great man of Israel. He was a great man of the world. Israel grieves for him. The world grieves for him. But we find hope in his legacy as does the world.

Friend Shimon Peres was not only -- he was partner in the country in the generation that started in industry as his root and defended us with the Shield of David. He gave everything in order to ensure our defense for generations. And the generations thank him for that.

And he did everything that he could every moment in his older life to make peace with our neighbors. If Shimon and I were on the opposite sides of the parliament, but over the years we became friends. Even close friends.

In one of our meetings in the Presidents House in the late evening, late night, I asked him, "tell me, Shimon, from your years, who did you really merit the seat of Israel? And he was he was able to answer me I said to him, the first one is clear to me Ben Gurion. You thank Ben Gurion. And then Shimon in his young years saw Ben Gurion and responsibility of building the state of Israel. In the same conversation he spoke with Reuven Rivlin and others and I

have to say that the -- what they gave, each one of them gave, he promised me that there was another person Moshe Dayan. Shimon spoke of his courage in battle of his -- how genuine he was and something else.

To Moshe, he said, nothing -- he wouldn't -- he didn't care but anything. Dayan totally ignored politics. He was what he wanted to be. Shimon liked those qualities. But he also knew a further truth. That if you want to believe things that you hear in politics and then finances in society you can't get away from politics.

And therefore, in the generations that he was in politics, this was the contact between the politician and the diplomat. He had visions, but he knew that the tracks came -- they came through politics. And what we are going to settle that is to -- he would be able to get up -- get up each time he was knocked over.

I saw this in the beginning here on this mount, 40 years ago. Two days after the Entebbe rescue where my brother was killed, the Yoni, my brother's funeral took place as the Defense Minister, together with the Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, may his soul in peace.

[03:15:03] Shimon was the one who authorized the operation. And at the funeral he said something which I won't forget my whole life. It's the first time that I met him and my brother, and myself, were taken back by what was said in the operation, our love for our father and at the same moment there was created between us a connection, strong connection, was never broken, even though Shimon and I didn't agree.

Our disagreements did not come between the strong relationships that we formed. And it got stronger at each meeting and together with that we never blurred the divisions. In the first -- in the meeting that we had in the President's house at night, we came to an agreement that the division of Israel, what is the route, defense?

And Shimon said to me, Bibi, peace is the main ingredient. If there is peace then there will be defense. And I responded, Shimon, in the Middle East security is absolutely necessary for peace. And we spoke for over an hour discussing this matter.

He on the lef, and me on the right. I, on the right, he on the left. And at the end, as two restless we ended the battle. And I saw in his eyes and I think he saw in my eyes that the division comes from deep persuasion in the objective of the security of the country.

My friends, you know what amazing resolution I came to, both of us were right.

The Middle East, the hot Middle East that only the strong people survive and for my beliefs, it's not strength that wins. The decision is to live together in peace.

We are friends in the area and our Palestinian neighbors. My honored guests, Shimon Peres also came to the conclusion that righteousness isn't a particular camp. And a day after his being sworn in as the ninth President he came to the memorial of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, who I consider one of the -- my heroes.

And the story is based on the ideological differences between the two camps Jabotinsky and (Inaudible) come to parts which today are the extremes of the government.

And Shimon finished by saying that it seems that King Solomon was right, that both are as good as the one.

[03:20:02] At the end of the talk, I met him, I shook his hand. And I -- nine years later, two months ago, my wife and I came to Shimon, the opening of the Peres Peace Center and what wasn't -- there were so many things, robots, technology and more.

And Shimon -- I don't think I've ever seen him so happy. It was one of his dreams that had come true. He put his -- he put on 3D glasses, on his face which he's -- from which he's given his corneas for the benefit of the future generations, I don't think there is anything greater than that.

Shimon, he also looked forward. He believed as we believe in the progress of science technology and the strength of those surely will strengthen the security but also to build the future foundation for peace.

He developed good will overcome evil and light will overcome darkness.

Shimon, my dear friend, you said that one of the only times in which you was when you received the bad news of the -- the death of Yoni, my brother in Entebbe. You chose -- you then chose, Shimon -- you cried then. I'm crying over you today. I loved you. We all love you.

Let there be peace, Shimon. Dear friend, great leader. We give you this deep sorrow and I allow myself to say the heart of the nations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shimon Peres was a friend of the Parliament of Israel for 48 years. The Speaker of the Knesset, you are duly is invited.

YULI-YOEL EDELSTEIN, SPEAKER OF THE KNESSET: Dear family, I'm not a president, Prime Minister but (Inaudible) I don't want to die. Shimon Peres not so long ago. I know the day will come when I will pass my -- pass on as every man, but during every moment that I'm alive, I will not do -- if I don't do what a live man has to do.

[03:25:10] Nice words were not return to pure and you won't -- wasn't sufficient for you to say nice words. You were one of the great leaders of Israel. Before being a leader, you were just a man, many of us public are afraid between crowds and cameras, but let me tell you something behind the scenes.

In those moments when you sometimes as the president of Israel already 90 years old. I came before you. There was never a time when you didn't shake hands with every one of the people and also agree to when people were embarrassed us whether they can take a photograph with you. Not only the public events but also your private life you taught us an

important lesson, Shimon, about life, not only the values of life but also the value of life in general. Righteous that you change to a person, a great person.

The youth the legitimate face of Israel, also in 1986, together with I, as a person assigned in Russia my mother told me how you were -- how you cared for my -- how you cared for me and my life and welfare.

You proved again and again to all of the players how big this people are. Despite the demographics and the geography which is so limited. Age was not a problem for you. You did what you were still able to do and to improve and there was always something for you to do.

You looked after this country and its citizens, it's security for its fate. We learned from you never to give up. The state of Israel was the light of optimism and from you we learned the right proportions.

You said that your dream was to be a shepherd and you achieved that dream. You were and you will remain a shepherd and a teacher for many not less than 48 years you were in the Knesset, which is -- no one else has achieved.

You were one of the older members of parliament. When you became the ninth President of the country, you said the following things, "I'm leaving this house, the house of the democracy after having been for half of my life on its seats. I loved what I heard, the arguments, the sadness of things towards institution."

I know that this house is able to make historical decisions, also when democracy -- these still follow us today.

[03:29:51] Shimon, in your later years, through your ability to invent yourself anew was always evident. Almost showing that whole of your life.

Those who also disagreed with you recognized you over the years for your great achievements to the country.

Honored guests, the departure of Shimon Peres as the leader of the country, he was the (Inaudible) who are still not been born and those present today you will remember this forever in the name of the Knesset of the past, of the present, of the future, I give my condolences to all of the members of the family and first and foremost to the children, Zvia, Yoni, Nehe, may his memory be blessed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The honorable William Jefferson Clinton, former President of the United States from America.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Peres family, President Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of Knesset, President Obama and all of the distinguished leaders who have come from all around the world, yesterday, the Prime Minister did something that was unthinkable back in the dark ages, when I was President of the United States.

He sent out a tweet. And the tweet reminded us of a simple fact -- it was Israel's first day without Shimon Peres. Yes, he was in the Knesset for 48 years but for more than 70 of his 93 years, in one way or the other, in and out of government, he was a public servant.

I was honored to share almost 25 of those years with him. First, in our common efforts with Prime Minister Rabin, a blessed memory, to forge a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestinians.

Then just as his friend. Someone who listened to, learned from and laughed with him. And always was in awe of his endless capacity to move beyond even the most crushing setbacks in order to seize the possibilities of each new day.

I'm honored the family asked me to tell you what he meant to someone who's not a citizen of this country I love so much. But who was nevertheless blessed and inspired.

And I think in many ways is representative of millions more he touched, though he never met. Israel watched him grow first from sort of young genius doing his best to build undefeatable defense forces to a long life to become a wise champion of our common humanity. Someone who wanted the best for all children. Yes, the Israeli children, but also the children of his neighbors and the larger world.

[03:35:05] The previous speakers have reminded me again of a clip I saw last night on television where Shimon was being interviewed by Charlie Rose. And he looked at him sort of saying I'm going to serve a softball up to you and watch you hit a home run. What do you want your legacy to be? And he said, "I'm more concerned about tomorrow than yesterday."

Our complicated, brilliant friend steered by a simple straightforward creed. Thanks in those small measure to his constant relentless urging. The tomorrows he envisioned are already being lived here in Israel by many young people, in spite of all the troubles. You heard the prime minister talk about the dedication of the new high-tech park. He's been talking to me about that for 25 years.

And there are young people now throughout the region who are trying to break both the mental and the material change that have held them in bondage, thanks in no small measure to the inspiration he provided.

As has been said, his critics often claimed he was a naive, overly optimistic dreamer. They were also wrong about the naive part. He knew exactly what he was doing in being overly optimistic. He knew exactly what he was doing with his dreams. He never gave up on anybody. I mean anybody.

You heard the prime minister talk about their beautiful friendship. It followed a very tough campaign. But Shimon always kept the door open. We spent so many wonderful times, but my favorite was sitting with him with in his old foe and personal friend Ariel Sharon at his 80th birthday party. Listening to the back and forth was a sight to behold. It was worth the price of admission as the saying goes. In addition, it was a perfect Peres night. The stage was full of young

people, talking about what he had meant to their lives, including a young Ethiopian member of your defense forces who was met as a very young child at the airport, his part of the operation he supported.

The night ended, however, with a choir of Israeli Jewish and Arab children singing together John Lennon's wonderful song "Imagine." Shimon actually could imagine all of the people living in the world today. He imagined all the things the rest of us could do. He started off life as Israel's brightest student, became its best teacher and ended up its biggest dreamer.

He lived 93 years in a state of constant wonder over the unbelievable potential of all the rest of us to rise above our wounds, our resentments, our fears to make the most of today and claim the promise of tomorrow. Now it must have been hard for him to do this. It's easy to say things like this at a memorial service. It's hard to do.

First he had to master his own demons, forgive himself for his own mistakes, and get over his own disappointments.

[03:40:05] The monumental effort required to do that grew his heart to be bigger than his brain, which is really saying something. That effort also I am convinced is what made him forever young.

Now he is gone, leaving only a blessed memory and a powerful example. That's more than enough if those of us who loved him from near and far accept our duty to keep his gifts alive.

So, for the rest of our lives, whenever the road we travel comes to a dead end, or the good we seek to do hits a stone wall, or the hand of friendship we extend meets only a cold stare, in his honor I ask that we remember Shimon Peres' luminous smile and imagine.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shimon Peres always remembered the feelings as a child he was under a (Inaudible) Yom Kippur. He was the one who led the convocation on the day of atonement of Lord our Father. Years later, they -- synagogue down and in them his family.

David D'Or will now sing to the song Avinu Malkeinu.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

[03:45:00] (DAVID D'OR SINGING AVINU MALKEINU)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Remember memory of Shimon Peres Amos Oz, the writer.

AMOS OZ, WRITER & SHIMON PERES' FRIEND (TRANSLATED): To the family Peres, those who love Shimon from where in the world, did you know since when Shimon is my dear friend since I suddenly discovered the secret of his more than 40 years before everything Shimon and I sat at the entrance to the dining room of (Inaudible) and we spoke until midnight about the future of the country as settlements. He was still a light and from the conversation I left the secret more

than the secret of Dimona kept more than Battle of Treaty. I discovered his naivete from the dreams that haven't been realized yet. Maybe he was not the opposite of -- which came from the earth from which good things sprout.

There were two completely opposite sides of Shimon. On one hand, a deep respect for reality and it is happening, and on the other side one to change reality and even more rare the ability to change.

[03:50:01] But only when these two where opposite sides were the force Shimon broke through parts. Almost all of the (Inaudible) and the great leaders were seen as dreamers until the future came and proved that they were right.

Just like us in science, in (Inaudible) and literature because of his big dreams, those that called him a big dreamer may have forgotten that the owner of the original dreamer from the bible was not just a dreamer, he was a dreamer that dreams came real.

And from a country that was almost broken up because of the disagreements he saw it in its ground as Joseph in the bible Shimon Peres also realized most of his dreams the cynicism and the hate -- and the hate where these are part.

Many politicians see before them valuable in the primaries or at least in the forthcoming elections, Shimon was not a great leader because of his naivete. He was sometimes able to throw them away but he was a diplomat who made things for the future generations who was able to leave behind him the popular reality and open up agreements of peace and new reality.

It's true that not once did he -- that those that say peace -- some say that peace is impossible but peace is not only possible it's also essential because we are not going anywhere. We haven't anywhere to go. The Palestinians are also not going anywhere. They also have nowhere to go.

And because the Israeli and Palestinians can't suddenly change in to being a happy family and can't get into double bed and start loving each other therefore, there's no choice but to divide this house in to two flats and to change it into a two-family home.

Almost everybody knows this truth. But where are the leaders, the brave leaders who stand up and realize this? The leader of Peres, every Friday, 22 or for 22 years in winter and summer Shimon and I were talking on the phone in conversation and he told me about the things going on in the country, not only about the literature but also sometimes on the stories of the heart and of the soul, and imagination.

This conversation between us will not end. Today is Friday, the evening for Sabbath. Five this afternoon in a few hours' time, they don't think that at five today there will be a conversation between me Shimon, they will be mistaken. As long as I'm alive this will continue, as long as the state of Israel is alive, the conversation with Shimon Peres is open and will continue.

I leave today -- I bid farewell today with love, my friend, a big dreamer, a big leader, a man who I love very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): The farewell with I invite the daughter.

[03:55:00] TSVIA WALDEN, SHIMON PERES' DAUGHTER (TRANSLATED): My father had a long, good life. Today, I bid farewell to two people. Peres, Shimon, Shimon, his excellency that Mr. President and those that called him Voshek (Ph) and I called father, grandfather and great grandfather.

At first he's Peres of the state of people, Peres of the citizens of the world. I will share a few private moments on this eulogy. The world will remember the determined Peres who never stopped, who kept running despite the obstacles and falls along the way.

I will remember him during this past year at Friday night dinners at our home when he was the first to rise holding the booklet with the Sabbath songs printed in tiny letters trying to make out the words of the song through his thick lens, never skipping a word, singing at the top of his lungs.

He was described as a great negotiator. As someone who always found a way to get what he wanted. To me, he was a young man who used his creative skills to get us to eat who cut sandwiches into triangles and diamonds. Try this, it is a sandwich.

My father pulled out all of the creative stuff and used every trick for us to open our mouths and eat and grow. In the eyes of the public, he will be remembered as one who dined with kings.

I remember him at the table of a French restaurant when he whispered in my ear, it taste good but nothing compares to your mother's salad. To him its cucumbers and tomatoes with the finest of delicacies.

There were those who considered him as an adventurer, someone who rushed to adopt every innovation, but when I got married and decided took a vow (Inaudible) and took moments to hear, here comes to terms with the idea whenever I came home, he would announced, Sonya, look who is here, Mrs. Walden, pleased as punch.

He will be remembered as an elegant well-dressed man, always well- groomed who would take a small comb from his pocket to smooth his hair. At home, when he finished the books on the book shelf, he heard a ring at the door and I said it is only Rafi, but he was a gentleman who would quickly go to the bedroom.

(OFF-MIC)

This book about, well about 2,000 years of history and the creation of the country that from the words -- yes, his years of life were wonderful. He loved Sonya and these words and he was just open but Sonja on the closet. The (Inaudible), the village that he was -- that he got. My mother was

prepared to always listen and help. He was a wonderful man; he was loved by his family, by the people of Israel, by the state of Israel. And he will be loved in the future also.

[04:00:04] My father.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)