Washington – On the eve of his 90th birthday, and in conjunction with the 65th anniversary of the founding of Israel, an assembled group of U.S. legislators introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to honor Israeli President Shimon Peres with the Congressional Gold Medal, the United States’ highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.
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The announcement of the bill on Thursday was made by Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Congressman Joe Kennedy (D-MA), and Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ).
Peres, who will turn 90 on Friday, August 2nd, was born in 1923 in Poland and later emigrated along with his family to Tel Aviv in 1934.
After serving as Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, and Prime Minister, Peres was elected president in 2007.
New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, said, “President Peres’ extraordinary record of service has helped strengthened the unbreakable bond between the U.S. and Israel, our closet and most stalwart ally in the Middle East. As we mark the 65th anniversary of Israel’s founding and the 90th birthday of one of Israel’s great leaders, this legislation demonstrates that the people of Israel and the United States stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of extraordinarily uncertain times.”
Spearheading the push to award Peres the medal were Ezra Friedlander, a New York-based lobbyist, CEO of The Friedlander Group, and Rabbi David Baron of the Temple of the Arts in Beverly Hills, Chair of the Clergy Cabinet of the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal Commemoration Committee.
Rabbi Baron, said, “President Peres’ achievements as a global statesman reinforce the core American value of preserving liberty and freedom for all people.”
“Shimon Peres is a symbol of the bridge that defines the US Israel relationship,” said Friedlander, , which was instrumental in creating the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal Commemoration Committee. “Honoring President Peres with the Congressional Gold Medal is an acknowledgment of the role that Congress played in the development of the U.S.-Israel relationship since its establishment 65 years ago.”
This Congressional Gold Medal would be the first awarded to a sitting President of Israel.
A very important symbolic move on behalf of the Congress
This is a nice gesture and I have it comes to fruition and they present the award.
he should be charged with crimes for the murder of hundreds of jews in isael due to his oslow terror process,,The world is upside down.
Not bad for an ex-terrorist (his name means ‘bird of prey) with an uncomfortable history ofdeaths and disappeaances of those who cross him. Perhaps a pity Arafat didn’t live that long.