Yitzhak Shamir was a fighter for the Jews long before the creation of Israel, an underground leader who led the militia against the British and the Arabs.
Did not make excuses and no compromises - not as an underground fighter, a Secret Service agent who hunted the Nazis, and as one of the longest serving prime ministers of Israel refused to negotiate for land.
The 96-year-old Shamir, who has attacked all my life to the belief that Israel should hang in the territory and never trust an Arab regime, died Saturday at a nursing home in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv. The Israeli press said Shamir had suffered from Alzheimer's disease in recent years.
Israeli Prime Minister Shamir was, seventh, serving as prime minister for seven years, 1983-84 and 1986-92, leading his party to victory in the elections twice, despite the lack of much of the charisma outward characteristic of many modern politicians. A little over 5 feet (1.52 meters) tall and built like a block of granite, has projected an image of strength unhindered during the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel in the West Bank and Gaza.
His time in office was turbulent, marked by massive airlift thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, the Palestinian uprising and the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraq launched 39 Scud missiles against Israel.
"Yitzhak Shamir was a brave warrior, before and after the founding of the State of Israel," said Israeli President Shimon Peres, the old political rival of Mr. Shamir. "He was faithful to his view, a great patriot and a true lover of Israel, who has served his country with integrity and commitment without end. May his memory be blessed."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Shamir, "directed by Israel with a deep loyalty to the nation and the earth and the eternal values of the Jewish people."
And the White House, Shamir praised for helping to create strong ties with the United States
"Yitzhak Shamir, who devoted his life to the State of Israel. From his days working for the independence of Israel in his service as prime minister, has strengthened Israel's security and promote cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, "says note.
Defeated in the 1992 elections, Shamir resigned as head of the Likud Party, to watch from the sidelines as his successor, Yitzhak Rabin negotiated interim agreements of land for peace with the Palestinians.
The agreements, including the recognition of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israel did nothing to alleviate their suspicions.
In an interview in 1997 with headquarters in New York Jewish Post, said: "The Arabs always dream of destroying us, I do not recognize us as an integral part of this region" ..
The labor movement, from Israel to power the first three decades, has accepted a UN partition plan of 1947 to allow the creation of the Jewish state alongside a Palestinian entity. For Shamir, which was tantamount to treason.
Jazwernicki Yitzhak Born in Poland in the current 1915. Shamir moved to pre-state Palestine in 1935. Most of his family - his parents, two sisters and their husbands and children, stayed behind and were killed during the Holocaust during World War II.
In late 1980, Shamir publicly revealed that his father had escaped a direct train to a concentration camp, but was later killed by childhood friends took refuge with.
Once in Palestine, Shamir joined Lehi, the most intransigent of the three Jewish movements that struggle for independence from the British Mandate authorities, taking the lead group after the British killed its founder.
The group, known as the Stern Gang after the former leader, Abraham Stern, was considered responsible for a series of attacks including the assassination of UN mediator Count Folke Bernadotte of, in Jerusalem in September 1948. Lehi commanders considered Bernadotte a British agent who has collaborated with the Nazis.
Shamir often disguised himself as an orthodox rabbi to avoid being arrested by the British. However, he was captured twice, but escaped two British detention camps back in action and resistance. The second field was in Djibouti, Africa.
After Israel was founded in 1948, Shamir was devoted to trade before entering a career in the Israeli spy agency, Mossad. During this period, has carried out operations against the Nazi scientists who were helping the Arab neighbors of Israel to build rockets. Roni Milo, former member of parliament who served under Mr. Shamir mourned his death on Israeli television.
"For years he served in the Mossad, and has published several major operations," said Milo. "Once I asked a street while walking in Tel Aviv, Shamir said:" I know the streets of Cairo and better for the streets of Tel Aviv, Damascus. "
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