Скачать или смотреть ISRAEL: PM NETANYAHU ATTENDS PRESIDENT CHAIM HERZOG'S FUNERAL

(18 Apr 1997) Natural Sound

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently embroiled in a political scandal, paid his respects Friday at the funeral of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog.

Herzog died on Thursday after an illness. He was 78.

He was known as a distinguished soldier, an author and a diplomat, and on Friday, Israel's longest serving president was buried at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl.

Chaim Herzog, who served as Israel's sixth president and its ambassador to the United Nations, died at Tel Aviv's Tel Hashomer Hospital after suffering from complications resulting from pneumonia.

He wrote several books, including a critically acclaimed historical look at the 1967 Six Day war entitled: "Israel's Finest Hour".

The country's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was joined by his wife Sara in paying respects at the state funeral.

Although Israel is now embroiled in a political crisis -- sparked by police investigations into the conduct of the Prime Minister -- differences were forgotten as the nation remembered a founding figure.

In 1975, Herzog was appointed Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.

During his three-year term, he made a celebrated but unsuccessful defence of his country against the U-N resolution equating Zionism with racism.

When Herzog became Israel's sixth president in May 1983, the nation was divided by the war in Lebanon and facing international isolation.

During his 10 years in office, Herzog made 45 visits abroad and spoke to 13 foreign parliaments -- an indication of Israel's new international acceptance -- particularly in Europe.

Not all Herzog's actions were widely accepted, however. He was criticised for a 1986 decision to pardon Shin Bet agents accused of murdering two Palestinian bus hijackers while in Israeli custody.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...