Peres, Shimon 1923-
Israeli statesman and Nobel Prize winner

Born in Wolozyn, Poland, he emigrated with his family to Palestine (1934), and was raised on a kibbutz. He received most of his education in the USA, studying at New York and Harvard universities. In 1948 he became head of naval services in the new state of Israel, and later Director-General of the Defence Ministry (1953-59). In 1959 he was elected to the Knesset. He was Minister of Defence (1974-77), and in 1977 became Chairman of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition until 1984, when he entered into a unique power-sharing agreement with the leader of the Consolidation Party (Likud), Yitzhak Shamir. Under this agreement, Peres was Prime Minister from 1984 to 1986, when Shamir took over. After the inconclusive 1988 general election Peres eventually rejoined Shamir in a new coalition. However the second coalition collapsed in 1990 and a government was formed by Shamir. In 1992 Peres was defeated in the Labour leadership by Yitzhak Rabin and Rabin went on to become Prime Minister that year. When Rabin was assassinated in 1995, Peres took over the premiership, but was defeated in elections in May 1996 by Binyamin Netanyahu. Shortly afterwards he announced that he would not stand for Prime Minister in the next election or party leader in 1997.