Shimon Peres, the former President of the State of Israel, was a political and intellectual giant. His contribution to both Israeli and world politics stretched back even before the State of Israel was recreated in 1948. He was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, back in the days when the Peace Prize was something worth having and not just, as it subsequently became, a consolation prize for those from cultures that have little to offer the world in terms of scientific or literary achievement.

Shimon Peres, who was given an honorary Knighthood by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2008 for his work towards peace in the Middle East, was no naïve ‘kumbayah’ peacenik. He recognised that Israel had to be defended from genocidal Arab enemies and played a major part in building up Israeli Defence Forces in the early days of the new State of Israel. Shimon Peres was a man of peace but also a realist, who saw that there are some battles that should and indeed must be fought. ‘As water is to agriculture so armaments are to security’ is a famous quote of Mr Peres.

He stuck to his view that there should be a two state solution to the problem of the Arabs living in Judea and Samaria, land that Jordan lost to Israel in 1967, even though this idea is beginning to look to those of us on the political Right as madness. But the desire for peace, if it can be achieved without compromising your own security, is a good and moral one and I cannot criticise Shimon Peres for having the desire for peace, or the desire for the children of Israel and the children of Ishmael to one day water their sheep together in peace.

There are few people left in politics whose career and life can be said to span the rise of the terrible dictators of Europe, a world war, a cold war and the current battle against the ideology of Islam. Now that Shimon Peres has passed on, the number of people who lived through and were politically active during this period are dwindling and we are all diminished by Mr Peres’ passing.

Shimon Peres did a lot with his life and saw a lot, both good and bad. He was one of those who, even though he was from the Centre-Left, commanded the respect of many of differing political views.

We mourn the passing of Shimon Peres, may his memory be for a blessing. May his family and friends be comforted among those who mourn.