This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/world/europe/peres-at-90-is-ready-to-leave-the-israeli-presidency-but-not-to-retire.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Peres, at 90, Is Ready to Leave the Israeli Presidency, but Not to Retire Peres, at 90, Is Ready to Leave the Israeli Presidency, but Not to Retire
(3 months later)
ROME — Reaching the end of a red carpet after landing here for the latest of his more than 60 trips abroad as Israel’s president, Shimon Peres faced the group of journalists awaiting him. ROME — Reaching the end of a red carpet after landing here for the latest of his more than 60 trips abroad as Israel’s president, Shimon Peres faced the group of journalists awaiting him.
“I can’t talk politics,” Mr. Peres said with a chuckle. Then he proceeded to talk politics, saying of the new Palestinian government that sprang from a deal between the militant Hamas and the moderate Fatah movements: “You cannot place water and fire in one glass.”“I can’t talk politics,” Mr. Peres said with a chuckle. Then he proceeded to talk politics, saying of the new Palestinian government that sprang from a deal between the militant Hamas and the moderate Fatah movements: “You cannot place water and fire in one glass.”
It was vintage Peres, a poetic metaphor as he nudged at the bounds of what is supposed to be a ceremonial post. At 90, he is, for six more weeks, the world’s oldest head of state, and he is milking every moment, with Sunday’s papal prayer summit at the Vatican alongside his Palestinian counterpart, and, later this month, a weeklong last hurrah in Washington and New York.It was vintage Peres, a poetic metaphor as he nudged at the bounds of what is supposed to be a ceremonial post. At 90, he is, for six more weeks, the world’s oldest head of state, and he is milking every moment, with Sunday’s papal prayer summit at the Vatican alongside his Palestinian counterpart, and, later this month, a weeklong last hurrah in Washington and New York.
The sole survivor of Israel’s founding generation in public office, Mr. Peres has over the last seven years reinvented the presidency — and himself. Disdained for decades as a devious dealmaker who often ended up on the short end of elections, Mr. Peres is now Israel’s most popular public figure and a world-stage statesman. Lacking power to press forward the peace he advocates, he was left to pray for it instead.The sole survivor of Israel’s founding generation in public office, Mr. Peres has over the last seven years reinvented the presidency — and himself. Disdained for decades as a devious dealmaker who often ended up on the short end of elections, Mr. Peres is now Israel’s most popular public figure and a world-stage statesman. Lacking power to press forward the peace he advocates, he was left to pray for it instead.
As restless as he is resilient, Mr. Peres — twice prime minister as well as minister of defense, foreign affairs, finance and transportation — refuses to retire. Rather, he plans to don yet another hat, or two.As restless as he is resilient, Mr. Peres — twice prime minister as well as minister of defense, foreign affairs, finance and transportation — refuses to retire. Rather, he plans to don yet another hat, or two.
Officially, he aspires to be a global matchmaker between technology companies and problems like poverty, disease and development. In whispers, many around him also see him as a domestic kingmaker, scheming to unite feuding factions and revive Israel’s moribund left.Officially, he aspires to be a global matchmaker between technology companies and problems like poverty, disease and development. In whispers, many around him also see him as a domestic kingmaker, scheming to unite feuding factions and revive Israel’s moribund left.
In any case, he will soon be free of the strictures of the presidency, but also its perquisites, trading a Jerusalem mansion for a Tel Aviv apartment and perhaps seeing fewer of those red carpets.In any case, he will soon be free of the strictures of the presidency, but also its perquisites, trading a Jerusalem mansion for a Tel Aviv apartment and perhaps seeing fewer of those red carpets.
“The meaning in life is not what to be or what to be called, but what to do,” he said in a conversation Monday morning, sipping lemonade by a hotel pool in Rome. “Maybe the greatest things I did when I had the lowest title, and maybe when you have the highest title you are prisoner.”“The meaning in life is not what to be or what to be called, but what to do,” he said in a conversation Monday morning, sipping lemonade by a hotel pool in Rome. “Maybe the greatest things I did when I had the lowest title, and maybe when you have the highest title you are prisoner.”
Israel’s Parliament will elect his successor on Tuesday, after an ugly campaign that analysts say spotlighted Mr. Peres’s unique position in the otherwise unsung role.Israel’s Parliament will elect his successor on Tuesday, after an ugly campaign that analysts say spotlighted Mr. Peres’s unique position in the otherwise unsung role.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu floated the notion of abolishing the presidency and made a (rejected) appeal to the writer Elie Wiesel — despite his lack of Israeli citizenship — to run against Reuven Rivlin, a former Parliament speaker from Mr. Netanyahu’s own party, Likud.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu floated the notion of abolishing the presidency and made a (rejected) appeal to the writer Elie Wiesel — despite his lack of Israeli citizenship — to run against Reuven Rivlin, a former Parliament speaker from Mr. Netanyahu’s own party, Likud.
After financial and sexual scandals forced two candidates from the race, Mr. Rivlin is the front-runner in a field of five, in what David Horovitz, a veteran journalist, described as “an undignified struggle among mediocrities.”After financial and sexual scandals forced two candidates from the race, Mr. Rivlin is the front-runner in a field of five, in what David Horovitz, a veteran journalist, described as “an undignified struggle among mediocrities.”
“The moment he’s no longer president, the presidency reverts to something less dramatic,” said Mr. Horovitz, who published a lengthy interview with Mr. Peres on his Times of Israel news site last month.“The moment he’s no longer president, the presidency reverts to something less dramatic,” said Mr. Horovitz, who published a lengthy interview with Mr. Peres on his Times of Israel news site last month.
The Polish-born Mr. Peres, a protégé of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, negotiated a critical arms deal with France in the nation’s early years and later became the architect of its nuclear weapons program. A fixture at the Davos, Switzerland, forum, he has spent what might have been memoir-writing golden years as a champion of nanotechnology and social media.The Polish-born Mr. Peres, a protégé of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, negotiated a critical arms deal with France in the nation’s early years and later became the architect of its nuclear weapons program. A fixture at the Davos, Switzerland, forum, he has spent what might have been memoir-writing golden years as a champion of nanotechnology and social media.
Since his election as president in 2007, after a failed bid in 2000, Mr. Peres has hosted 790 events in his official residence and conducted about 1,350 work meetings with what his office described as “leaders and delegations.”Since his election as president in 2007, after a failed bid in 2000, Mr. Peres has hosted 790 events in his official residence and conducted about 1,350 work meetings with what his office described as “leaders and delegations.”
He and Mr. Netanyahu have met every couple of weeks, usually for dinner at Mr. Peres’s place. But he has also pushed protocol with public challenges to the prime minister.He and Mr. Netanyahu have met every couple of weeks, usually for dinner at Mr. Peres’s place. But he has also pushed protocol with public challenges to the prime minister.
In 2012, he orchestrated a chorus of critics of a potential Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Last month, he accused Mr. Netanyahu of thwarting a near-deal he had secretly negotiated in 2011 with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority.In 2012, he orchestrated a chorus of critics of a potential Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Last month, he accused Mr. Netanyahu of thwarting a near-deal he had secretly negotiated in 2011 with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority.
On Sunday, as Mr. Netanyahu lambasted the Palestinian leader for his “partnership” with Hamas, Mr. Peres and Mr. Abbas were shaking hands in a Vatican garden. It had been 21 years since his handshake on the White House lawn with Yasir Arafat after the signing of the Oslo Accords. That handshake led to a shared Nobel Peace Prize. Yet peace is hardly on the horizon.On Sunday, as Mr. Netanyahu lambasted the Palestinian leader for his “partnership” with Hamas, Mr. Peres and Mr. Abbas were shaking hands in a Vatican garden. It had been 21 years since his handshake on the White House lawn with Yasir Arafat after the signing of the Oslo Accords. That handshake led to a shared Nobel Peace Prize. Yet peace is hardly on the horizon.
“You cannot judge everything in war and peace,” Mr. Peres said poolside Monday. “Don’t forget I came to work with Ben-Gurion before the establishment of the state. There are great changes. They are not perfect, they are not complete, but if you compare it with any other 66 years in the history of any other nation, I think we should not come out second best.”“You cannot judge everything in war and peace,” Mr. Peres said poolside Monday. “Don’t forget I came to work with Ben-Gurion before the establishment of the state. There are great changes. They are not perfect, they are not complete, but if you compare it with any other 66 years in the history of any other nation, I think we should not come out second best.”
When his term ends near the end of July, Mr. Peres will return to the Peres Center for Peace, an architectural gem in Jaffa with a budget of $6 million and a staff of 34. He plans to take eight aides with him and create a new entity modeled, immodestly, on the Clinton Global Initiative and Kissinger & Associates.When his term ends near the end of July, Mr. Peres will return to the Peres Center for Peace, an architectural gem in Jaffa with a budget of $6 million and a staff of 34. He plans to take eight aides with him and create a new entity modeled, immodestly, on the Clinton Global Initiative and Kissinger & Associates.
He has vowed not to run again for office, but many left-leaning Israelis said he has already begun to line up leaders looking to unseat Mr. Netanyahu.He has vowed not to run again for office, but many left-leaning Israelis said he has already begun to line up leaders looking to unseat Mr. Netanyahu.
“If the left is going to try and coalesce and form some kind of bloc of parties, he’s the only one who can get everybody together and do that,” said Mitchell Barak, a Jerusalem-based political consultant who worked briefly for Mr. Peres.“If the left is going to try and coalesce and form some kind of bloc of parties, he’s the only one who can get everybody together and do that,” said Mitchell Barak, a Jerusalem-based political consultant who worked briefly for Mr. Peres.
Giving Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, a medal on Monday, Mr. Peres sounded like he was speaking about himself. “The most important feature of a president,” he said, is “to have the trust of the people.”Giving Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, a medal on Monday, Mr. Peres sounded like he was speaking about himself. “The most important feature of a president,” he said, is “to have the trust of the people.”
And another familiar Peres-ism: “Presidents don’t rule, they serve.”And another familiar Peres-ism: “Presidents don’t rule, they serve.”
Then the well-dressed, white-haired lover of one-liners, who boasts of befriending every American president for 50 years, emptied a flute of Champagne in two swallows.Then the well-dressed, white-haired lover of one-liners, who boasts of befriending every American president for 50 years, emptied a flute of Champagne in two swallows.