Former prime minister and New Ireland Governor, Sir Julius Chan, has paid special tribute to a fallen world leader and advocate for Middle-East peace among Arab nations.
He is one of Israel’s foremost political figures and peacemakers, two-time former Prime Minister and President, the late Shimon Peres.
“He was a man of peace and almost the Father of Israel. He commanded trust and respect across borders, serving with high distinctions.”
The Governor said the late Peres’ mastery of historical heritage and political leadership to advocate peace between warring neighbours, and his country, ultimately won him the Nobel Peace Prize.
“The late Shimon Peres was Foreign Minister when I met him,” said Sir J.
As finance minister in 1993, Sir Julius led the first official PNG Government delegation to Israel and began dialogue that led to the establishment of diplomatic relations.
“We met in Tel Aviv and our organised tour took us to small MOZAB farms and sacred sites of Jordon River, Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Nazareth and Mt. Camel, including the Baha’i House of Justice in Haifa; inspected Naval Boats and finally the historically disputed ‘Golan Heights’, which was the mountaintop of fierce fighting between Israel and Syria during the six day war in 1967.
“A remark crystal clear in my mind that late Peres made of the historic city of Jerusalem was: ‘Jerusalem is religiously open but politically closed’.”
The late Peres was an Israeli statesman and the ninth President of Israel, serving from 2007 to 2014.
He died near Tel Aviv on September 28, after suffering a stroke.
“The world lost a great man, peacemaker and internationally trusted human being,” said Sir Julius.