Clinton says Peres ‘never gave up on anybody’

Bill Clinton is up next.

The former US president says: “Yesterday, the prime minister did something that was unthinkable” when he was president, “he sent out a tweet” saying “it was Israel’s first day without Shimon Peres.”

“He was a public servant. I was honored to share almost 25 of those years with him,” he says, pointing to the Oslo accords negotiations.

“Then, just as his friend. Someone to listen to, learn from, and laugh with. And always was in awe of his endless capacity to” endure “setbacks” and seize opportunities.

Clinton says he is honored to speak at the funeral.

“Israel watched him grow from sort of a young genius,” and through his long life, “to become a wise champion of our common humanity.”

Peres’s vision has come true, he says.

“The tomorrows he envisioned are already being lived by people here in Israel,” says Clinton.

“His critics often claimed he was a naive, overly optimistic dreamer. They were only wrong about the naive part. He knew exactly what he was doing in being overly optimistic… he never gave up on anybody, I mean anybody.”

“Shimon always kept the door open,” says Clinton.