New York, NY, July 2, 2012 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) mourns the passing of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, a stalwart Zionist and a "true believer in the Zionist dream" whose leadership and vision carried Israel through periods of crisis, notably the Persian Gulf War, and of historic change as the Jewish State integrated thousands of new citizens and made the first overtures of peace with the Palestinians.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement: 

We mourn the death of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.  In the world of politics where expediency rules the day, Mr. Shamir was notable, if not unique, as prime minister for sticking to the values and principles that guided him throughout his life as a stalwart Zionist.

 

His years in office saw Israel integrate hundreds of thousands of Russian Jews and the bringing to Israel of thousands of Ethiopian Jews in Operation Solomon. And in his last years of leadership he ably guided Israel through the tricky days of the Gulf War and the missile attacks on Israel and then represented his country at the Madrid Conference, a precursor to peace initiatives that followed.

 

Yitzhak Shamir will always be remembered as a true believer in the Zionist dream who did his all to make sure that dream was realized and secured.