Shimon Peres main contributions to Israel's security
Peres began his public activities in the Ministry of Defense. In 1948 he was in charge of the links with the procurement delegations abroad and with the Military Industry. In April 1949 he was appointed head of naval affairs in the Ministry of Defense, dealing with administration, recruitment, and procurement pertaining the navy.
In June 1949 Peres joined the Ministry of Defense procurement delegation in New York. In late 1950 he was appointed head of the delegation, conducting military procurement in the USA and Canada.
In 1952 Peres was appointed deputy general manager of the Ministry of Defense, in charge of armaments, supplies, and the Youth and Nahal department.
In September 1952 Peres was appointed acting manager of the Ministry of Defense, and in December 1953 General Manager of the Ministry, a function he held for seven years, until July 1959. In those years, Peres reorganized the Ministry of Defense; found sources to procure modern armaments for the IDF; laid the foundations of the aerial and electronics industry and expanded the Military Industry; encouraged scientific research and development, including the establishment of the "Weapons Development Authority (Rafael); and dealt with the establishment of Israel's nuclear reactors in Dimona and Nahal Soreq.
In the years preceding the Sinai War, Shimon Peres led the establishment of the tight defense relations with France. His relations with the heads of the French security establishment were a decisive factor in Israel's military strengthening, including the procurement of jet fighter aircraft and battle tanks. In 1956 he was part of the defense and political coordination with France, prior to the Sinai War. In 1957 Peres laid the foundations for the defense cooperation with West Germany, in the framework of which the Germans supplied Israel, until the mid-1960's, various armament platforms, including aircraft, helicopters and tanks.
In 1959 Peres was elected to the Knesset and was appointed deputy Minister of Defense, a function he held until 1965. In these years, Peres led the defense research and production, including the production in Israel of the Fouga CM.170 Magister, a 1950s French two-seat jet trainer aircraft, and the launching into space of the "Shavit 2" rocket, signaling Israel's entry into space research.
Peres served in 12 ministries, twice as Minister of Defense. In 1974 he was appointed Minister of Defense in Yitzhak Rabin's first government, where he served until 1977. He was busy rehabilitating the IDF post Yom Kippur War and implementing the separation agreements with Egypt and Syria. He laid the foundations for the cooperation with the Maronic-Christian leadership in Lebanon and initiated the establishment of the "Good Fence" on Israel-Lebanon border. In the summer of 1976 Peres was among the initiators of Operation Entebbe," the release of the "Air France" airplane hostages in Uganda.
In September 1984 Peres was elected Prime Minister. He worked for the withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanon and the establishment of a Security Belt as a buffer zone in Southern Lebanon.
In 1984 – 1985 Peres approved the Mossad and IAF operations to transport Ethiopian Jews to Israel. His tenure as Prime Minister ended in October 1986.
In November 1995, following the Yitzhak Rabin murder, Peres was appointed Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. He was very active in fighting terrorism. In April 1996 he directed the IDF to Launch Operation Grapes of Wrath, against the Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon. His tenure as Prime Minister ended in June 1996.
In 2001 – 2002 Peres served as Foreign Minister is Ariel Sharon's first government, where, as a cabinet member, he was partner to the struggle against Palestinian terrorism, including the launching of Operation "Protective Wall" against terror infrastructure in Judea and Samaria. In Sharon's second government, 2005 – 2006, Peres served as deputy Prime Minister, and was a partner to the disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria.
In July 2007, Peres was elected as Israel 9th president; his tenure ended in July 2014.