Shimon Peres

As Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Peres led the secret negotiations with the PLO that resulted in the Oslo Accords. The agreement established the Palestinian Authority and set a timetable for Israeli withdrawal from parts of the West Bank and Gaza.

Peres, along with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in negotiating the Oslo Accords. The prize recognized their efforts to create a framework for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

After Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, Peres became Prime Minister. His term was brief, lasting until the 1996 election which he lost to Benjamin Netanyahu. He continued Rabin's peace policies but faced security challenges from Hamas suicide bombings.

After leaving office, Peres founded the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa. The center promotes peace-building, economic cooperation, and technological innovation between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as across the Middle East.

Peres was elected President of Israel by the Knesset. The largely ceremonial role allowed him to focus on national unity and international diplomacy. He served a seven-year term, using the position to promote peace and innovation.