Where has Shimon Peres disappeared to?
An opinion piece examining the absence of Shimon Peres from Israeli public discourse a decade after his death, comparing him to other historical figures. The author argues that in wartime, Israel lacks a statesman with a vision combining security and policy like Peres, and points to the need for pursuing peace alongside military strength.
An opinion piece by Avi Shilon examines the near-total absence of Shimon Peres from Israeli public discourse, a decade after his death. The author compares Peres's fate to other historical figures: Menachem Begin became a favorite of the liberal camp due to his support for an independent judiciary; David Ben-Gurion became a favorite of the right due to his wartime leadership, while ignoring his support for partitioning the land; and Yitzhak Rabin is mentioned in the divided contexts of the Oslo Accords. In contrast, Peres, who contributed to the establishment of the defense industries, the Dimona reactor, and saving the economy in the 1980s, has been almost forgotten. The author argues that against the backdrop of three years since October 7, Peres is missed mainly for his pursuit of peace and instilling hope. He criticizes Netanyahu's approach, who called the war "changing the face of the Middle East" as a forceful mirror image of Peres's "New Middle East" vision. The article states that it is impossible to change the face of the Middle East by force alone, and Israel must pursue agreements with the Palestinians, advance the Trump plan for Gaza, and expand agreements to Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. The author concludes that Israel currently lacks a statesman with the ability and vision like Peres, who knew how to combine security and diplomatic action and speak about it in a language that touches people worldwide.