Obama praises Shimon Peres as ‘the essence of Israel’

President Obama is praising former Israeli President Shimon Peres as a leader who changed the course of human history.

“A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever,” Mr. Obama said in a statement. “Shimon was the essence of Israel itself.”

Mr. Peres, a founder of Israel, died Tuesday at age 93. Over his life, he held nearly all the top positions in the Israeli government.

The president, whose relationship with current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been difficult, called Mr. Peres “a statesman whose commitment to Israel’s security and pursuit of peace was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism.”

There was no immediate word from the White House whether Mr. Obama would attend the funeral on Friday. Former President Bill Clinton will attend.

Mr. Obama said Mr. Peres “always looked to the future.”

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“He was guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together,” Mr. Obama said. “As Americans, we are in his debt because, having worked with every U.S. president since John F. Kennedy, no one did more over so many years as Shimon Peres to build the alliance between our two countries — an unbreakable alliance that today is closer and stronger than it has ever been.”

Mr. Obama added, “Shimon never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel’s neighbors — not even after the heartbreak of the night in Tel Aviv that took Yitzhak Rabin. I can think of no greater tribute to his life than to renew our commitment to the peace that we know is possible.”