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Israel Pays Final Farewell to Shimon Peres; Mt. Herzl is Burial Place of Many Israeli Leaders. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired September 30, 2016 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[02:00:00] OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So many of the roads are closed. The state does have a sadness hanging over it. Right after the Sabbath is the New Year. And that is a holiday after the Sabbath, the city and the country slowing down leading into the holidays.

And if I may branch off for a moment here, there is a song, a song sung on the holiday, "Our Father, Our King." It is not normally sung at funerals, and it won't be sung at the burial, but it will be sung during the ceremonies here as part of the eulogies. It has a very powerful meaning. And it had extra meaning for Shimon Perez. It's a song he remembers his grandfather singing to him in Poland. He requested it be sung by a famous Israeli singer. Some of the words are very powerful, asking for forgiveness from God, leading into the Jewish New Year here. That's Shimon Peres. It is a song that asks for forgiveness, compassion, mercy. That's what Peres tried to promote among people.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Oren, Thank you.

We are looking at the live images. Just gone to the top of the hour. It is 9:00 there in Jerusalem. We are expecting the world leaders to gather. And then in about 30 minutes, the leaders of Israel, the prime minister, the president, the chief justice, the speaker of the House, will arrive in about 30 minutes and then the state funeral will begin.

I've been speaking with Oren Liebermann, our Jerusalem correspondent.

Our thanks to Nic Robertson before that.

I'm John Vause, in Los Angeles.

I will hand it over now to Becky Anderson to continue our coverage -- Becky?

BECKY ANDERSON: Many thanks.

Hello. Welcome to our viewers joining us around the world. I'm Becky Anderson, live in CNN NEWSROOM. Welcome to CNN's special coverage of the funeral of Shimon Peres.

Right now, heads of state gathering to Jerusalem's Mt. Herzl to celebrate the life of Shimon Peres. A short time ago, Peres' family escorted his flag-draped coffin from the Knesset to the cemetery. Peres was the last of Israel's founding fathers. He died Wednesday, two weeks after suffering a stroke. Peres served as a prime minister and president. These pictures from Jerusalem's cemetery, the national cemetery at Mt. Herzl. These pictures earlier of the casket, as it made its way from the Knesset on its way with Shimon Peres' family to here, a cemetery which has huge symbolism, not just for the modern state of Israel, but for Shimon Peres himself. Many images over the years of Shimon Peres here celebrating Independence Day, paying respects with other world leaders. Ad this is today what those world leaders will be doing for Shimon Peres.

Some 80 world leaders gathered here for the funeral of the former president and prime minister.

Oren Liebermann is on Mt. Herzl and he joins us live -- Oren?

LIEBERMANN: The ceremony should start in a few minutes with the eulogies. The first president, Reuven Rivlin, and the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and it will go from there. We expect his children to speak, two sons and a daughter. Bill Clinton will speak, a close, friend of Shimon Peres, who had the utmost respect for him, and President Barack Obama who touched down a short while ago and should be on the way to Mt. Herzl here.

It is filling in behind me. The dignitaries are filling in as it become busy at Mt. Herzl leading up to the ceremony that should start in a short moment. We know the coffin, wrapped in an Israeli flag, was already on Mt. Herzl and making its way here. We expect it to arrive in a short while. What promises to be a powerful, emotional ceremony will begin as everyone says thank you to Shimon Peres and is mournful of everything he stood for. He came symbolized the legacy of peace and that's what he worked on until the very end. He was busy until he suffered a stroke two weeks ago. In fact, he given a one- hour speech and posted a Facebook video. He was busy working on peace in any way he could. He dreamed and talked about it, he envisioned it, and that was his legacy. It will be his great legacy. Even amid a stalled peace process, he believed there was hope. If the two sides could sit together and talk, it could be something small but built in to something bigger. That is what foreign leaders are coming here to remember, the one who believed in hope, who believed in peace. The ceremony would be getting underway shortly -- Becky?

ANDERSON: CNN international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, is with me here in the bureau in Jerusalem.

Nic, as we look at the pictures of those gathered for the state funeral, some notable attendees.

[02:05:13] NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: We have the foreign minister arriving from Egypt. You have perhaps this particular time where the peace process or lack of it between Palestinians and Israelis is at a down beat, if you will, something Shimon Peres struggled to get going and invigorate. You have Mahmud Abbas coming together with the delegation. He's been criticized by other groups. Hamas has criticized him for ignoring the blood of Palestinian martyrs. Abbas himself sent a personal message to Peres' family offering condolences. We're going to see representatives from Turkey, the big names, prime

ministers and presidents. Mexico, United States, Germany, France, President Hollande coming, former President Sarkozy coming, as well. Prime ministers from Belgium, Holland. You have a scattering of foreign ministers from Britain and Germany, as well. But what we are not seeing is senior-level diplomats and delegations at that level coming from the region, from outside really here of Egypt and Turkey, from the region. Of course, Peres himself pushed to integrate, in the '80s and '90s, pushed to integrate their economy into the region to forge those broader connections. It was going to secure Israel in the early years. He forged the connections and did the heavy leg work to make Israel a safer place by procuring the weapons and armament it required to defend itself and then thinking forward to the economy and to cementing Israel's position in the region and the world. That's what we are seeing reflected here, so many European leaders, so many as well from other parts of the globe.

ANDERSON: Security almost unprecedented today, and perhaps understandably so.

ROBERTSON: More than 70 delegations. Israel's security services, the police, the security service here say this is their biggest security operation in years. They are putting out additional police, 8,000 police. This comes after intense security assessments. There have been some arrests, preventative arrests, we have been told. They are not per se linked to the arrival of dignitaries but more to the New Year celebrations over the weekend. Obviously, concerns at the highest having so many foreign dignitaries here.

ANDERSON: Nic Robertson with me here in Jerusalem.

Oren is there on Mt. Herzl. Shimon Peres' final resting place will be at Mt. Herzl next to a number of former Israeli leaders.

I filed this report on the significance of Israel's national cemetery.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: The body of Theodore Herzl is flown to the Israel that was his dream and the father of modern Zionism.

(SINGING)

ANDERSON: Theodore Herzl wasn't a state in 1904. He was reburied here. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right. The establishers of the state of Israel, they wanted to bring his remains to Jerusalem and to use the symbol of nationhood that will be part of the landscape the newborn landscape.

ANDERSON: Hence the name Mt. Herzl. This is a site rich in symbolism.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reason the people are buried here is because there are Jews and Israelis. That is a connection that is powerful here in Mt. Herzl.

ANDERSON: This is a hilltop cemetery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right. That's the highest point in Jerusalem. There's a powerful connection between Jews and Jerusalem.

ANDERSON: How important was Mt. Herzl to Shimon Peres?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the place was very important to him. For example, at the eve of the day of independence each year when there was a ceremony, he came here as a president, a prime minister, minister, for many, many, many years. On the slopes of the mountain, we have this military cemetery. Facing Jerusalem, western Jerusalem and between the two sections, we have the greats of the nation section and the politicians are connecting Herzl and the fallen soldiers.

[02:10:05] BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The American people mourn with you in the loss of your leader.

# (voice-over): In 1995, he stood shoulder to shoulder with U.S. President Bill Clinton at the funeral of Peres' predecessor, Yitzhak Rabin. And in many years in Israeli politics, was often seen accompanying world leaders paying their respects.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he believed that them coming to Jerusalem, coming to his Jerusalem, coming to visit Mt. Herzl was very important for him.

ANDERSON: And as he stood with at once, so they will stand with him again, here, the last time, on Mt. Herzl.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: All right.

I'm joined now by David Horowitz, the founding editor of the "Times of Israel."

As we await the arrival of Shimon Peres' casket on Mt. Herzl, we are, I think, I believe, looking at pictures of Bill Clinton, the former prime minister of Britain, David Cameron. Mr. Obama, the president of the United States, on his way to Mt. Herzl. A big day.

DAVID HOROWITZ, FOUNDING EDITOR, TIMES OF ISRAEL: Yeah. As I'm sure some other people have been saying, it recalls the last such gathering of world leaders, which was a little over 20 years ago, in a different circumstance. Peres' long-time rival, ally, Yitzhak Rabin, had been assassinated and the world gathered in solidarity with him. Peres is very different. He lived a full life. He died at 93. He was the only Israeli to hold the top offices, foreign minister, prime minister, president, defense minister, and so on. He lived through the whole history of the state.

ANDERSON: We are looking at images Bill Clinton, who was on Mt. Herzl at the funeral of the assassinated former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, back in 1995, and a man that would consider Shimon Peres a friend.

HOROWITZ: I think Clinton has had an extraordinary relationship with Israel, during his presidency, and since his presidency. He invested a great deal of effort in trying to obtain peace in the Middle East. He had a gut empathy for Israel. He managed to convey a gut empathy for the Palestinians. When Rabin was assassinated that was an extraordinary relationship between Rabin and the president. I think Clinton, although he ran the super power, saw Rabin as a mentor. With Peres, also a very close relationship. He was the first one to come to the funeral. He came yesterday morning. He was at the Knesset paying his respects at the coffin a day before the funeral. He has more time on his hands than a serving American president but a great respect.

ANDERSON: And the serving American president now on Mt. Herzl.

He will be disappointed that, in the end, and he's only got a month and a half ago, that peace wasn't possible under Barack Obama's presidential term.

HOROWITZ: I think Peres would have been disappointed. Obama would have been disappointed. Many Israelis are disappointed. One factor that is maybe under estimated is the region is complicated and unpredictable, it may be that peacemaking has gotten harder. Shimon Peres, if he was standing here, would say, no, it has to be done. It is Israel's destiny.

ANDERSON: And Shimon Peres, to his dying day, he vowed he would see peace in the Middle East. We are well aware of where things stand as far as the Israelis and Palestinians, as far away as we have been since the Oslo Accords in the '90s. Given the presence of a number of not necessarily leaders, but foreign ministers from neighboring Arab countries, not talking the likes of Jordan, because actually there's a low-level member of a delegation here, I think that has to be admitted, but of Turkey, of Egypt today. Things with Arab leaders, local Arab leaders for Israel do look better than they have for sometime.

HOROWITZ: The most significant attendee is Mahmoud Abbas. Shimon Peres said, to his dying day, to Israel, and, I'm sure, Netanyahu, I consider Abbas is a viable partner, someone with whom we can make an agreement. He wasn't saying Abbas was going to come. I think was a little bit of a rub where he must sit. They decided he must sit on the front row and must be respected, but that does convey a sense of a head of state, which Netanyahu and Israel don't quite consider Abbas to be.

But you are right. You can look at a glass half full and see a presence from Jordan, a foreign minister from Egypt, and so on. By the way, some nice words about Peres from Bahrain out of the blue. On the other hand, the king of Jordan didn't come and the president of Egypt that has close ties didn't come because of Arab public opinion, hostility to Israel. It may have ebbed a little bit among some of the leaders but I don't think it has ebbed dramatically among their peoples.

[02:15:11] ANDERSON: Just talk us through what we will see in the minutes and hours to come today.

HOROWITZ: You are going to see a well publicized Jewish traditional service, some prayers, the singing of a song particularly beloved by Shimon Peres and a series of eulogies. He wanted certain people to sing. He wanted David Door (ph), an Israeli singer, who will sing a prayer about our father in heaven. Peres wanted him to sing. The children of Peres will eulogize him. One of the first eulogies, maybe the first, will be from President Reuven Rivlin, who came from the other side of the political spectrum. He was from Netanyahu's Likud and he has tried to continue that mantle that Peres wrought as a president of a unifying figure.

ANDERSON: We will hear from President Clinton and the now President Barack Obama. This president and Israel's prime minister has had a friction-filled relationship with Obama.

HOROWITZ: Very significant. I'm sure they are exactly what Peres would have wanted. There was great respect to Peres in the U.S. This president and Israel's prime minister have had a friction-filled relationship but Obama, Peres, a great deal of respect. Obama ordered flags to fly at half staff to Peres. That's a rare tribute he gave.

ANDERSON: I filed a report as we look at the attendees gathering this service ahead of the official funeral. It will begin in 15 minutes. I filed a report that talked about the significance and symbolism of Mt. Herzl. Just walk us through your personal thoughts.

HOROWITZ: There's a section of Mt. Herzl, which is reserved for the great and good. As far as I understand, Shimon Peres will be laid to rest between two other prime ministers, two Yitzhaks as it happens. Rabin was his ally. Peres was standing alongside Yitzhak Rabin at the final rally 21 years ago in Tel Aviv, after which Rabin was assassinated. Peres briefly inherited the prime ministership. He was not able to convert it in to an election victory, back 20 years, and that's when Netanyahu first became prime minister. On the one side, there will be Rabin, on the other, Shemer (ph).

Also in the wider cemetery on Mt. Herzl are Israel's war dead, the people trying to lead the country to piece and security, and the people who give their lives trying to protect this country. It is a small country. It feels the loss of every person. The country has 8.58 million people. On Mt. Herzl, the plots are reserved for the people who gave their lives defending it and the great and good of its leaders.

ANDERSON: Stay with me, David, as we take ourselves back to Mt. Herzl where my colleague, Oren Liebermann, is watching the arrival of the main dignitaries now, ahead of what will be the first eulogy to Shimon Peres by the current president -- Oren.

LIEBERMANN: World leaders, we're watching a string of them come in. They're making their way to their seats. They are being urged to sit down so the ceremony can get under way, and then we'll see the coffin of Shimon Peres, wrapped in an Israeli flag, led by Knesset guards, held by Knesset guards, being brought to the front, to the podium, where he will be eulogized by Israel's leaders, the president, the speaker of Knesset, as well as his children, two sons and a daughter, and two U.S. presidents, President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton. This not an insignificant list, not in any way, and all of them have much to attribute and thank Shimon Peres for because of how long he has been public service and how much wisdom he gained through that. It is rare to see a leader in public service and political life for a half century and how much he has learned from that. He was able to evolve. One of the speakers here, perhaps Israel's most famous author and friend of Peres wrote a eulogy for him the day after he died. He said some mocked Shimon Peres for being a dreamer and compared him to the Biblical Joseph who is a dreamer himself. But he said it is an important comparison because Joseph saved a nation. Peres contributed in so many ways to the nation. If he was an optimist and dreamer that's who he was and he believed in that. Many of those dreams came true. That has to be remembered. He had the most profound respect for Peres' ability to change, to evolve, to understand the changing world around him, especially a changing Middle East around him. He started off as a hawk. He started off as pro settlement. He came to the idea that force couldn't handle this, couldn't solve the conflict, and it had to come down to negotiations, shaking hands and sitting down and talking. And that's what he pushed to his dying day, trying to bring Israelis and Palestinians together and trying to bring others together. That's the wisdom that so many will eulogize. The mission, the project of hope he was working on until the end.

David mentioned a song that will be sung by a famous Israeli singer it is called "Our Father, Our King." It is sung on Jewish New Year, which is 10 days away. It is a significant song and a special one for Shimon Peres. He remembers his grandfather singing it in Poland when he was a child before he came to Palestine. He asked Barbara Streisand to sing it at his 90th birthday. That's how much it meant to him. It is asking for forgiveness, mercy and compassion for everyone. It seems very much in line with what Shimon Peres would have wanted, a fitting song that will be sung in the middle of the eulogies from Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Israeli leaders and other -- Becky?

[02:21:28] ANDERSON: Oren, thank you.

As we continue to look at the images of those who are gathered on Mt. Herzl for the state funeral of Shimon Peres, let's bring in Avraham Diskin. He is an associate professor of political science at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Thank you for joining me here.

Just as we look at these images, your thoughts?

AVRAHAM DISKIN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, HEBREW UNIVERSITY: It is the end of an era. I think that's what it is but Shimon Peres was knocked out of politics several times. He always -- he always returned. He definitely was someone who never gave up, but you know life is life and death is death and that's an end of an era. This is someone who worked, you know, in senior positions since the birth of Israel. It is really something different. I don't think we will ever have am leader with such determination and such dreams.

ANDERSON: Right. How would Shimon Peres feel about the attendance today of the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas? Pleasantly surprised?

DISKIN: I don't think he would have been surprised, because, as I said before, he was a believer. He believed in fulfilling dreams, even when he failed. He insisted to once again try. I don't think it would have ban surprise for him. It is a surprise for me, I just say, that only Mahmoud Abbas and those of Georgia are not coming. I think he would have been satisfied with all of the mass around his funeral because he was a person who really liked to be recognized. I think that is one of the drives -- of course he was a great patriot but also a person that would have been satisfied with such a funeral. Probably the most distinguished ever to any Israeli leader, including Rabin.

ANDERSON: Shimon Peres -- as we look at pictures of Abbas in attendance now on Mt. Herzl today. The passing of Shimon Peres ends a very, very significant era early founding father politicians here. What happens next?

DISKIN: Well, we already have a new generation. As you know, Netanyahu, who's not anymore a very young person, defeated him in 1996 and ever since then you really have a new generation with new politician. Actually Rabin was -- the first prime minister was born in Israel, in Palestine, rather and so always there's a change. I think the statesmen are giving advice, et cetera and I don't think he's the last one. I was just talking in the studio to one of your employees here and I mentioned, for instance, three friends of Yitzhak Rabin who are always behind the scene. You know, people are consulting two of them. So these people are still there. That's the nature of life.

Some are like Peres are such devotion to his dreams, with such ability to come back from knockouts really, one after another, starting in 1965. That was the first knockout. I don't think that we will -- that someone with such equalities for better or worse. He's really a unique person. I had an opportunity to work with him and I said yesterday, on CNN, you know, getting calls at 3:00 a.m. In the morning, I don't think that you get those from many other politicians all over the world. He was such a person. Something is urgent. I will call you at 3:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m., let's meet at 6:00 a.m.

[02:26:11] ANDERSON: Was he a satisfied man at the end?

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: He said he was born for a cause. He dedicated his life to the cause of this nation.

DISKIN: For many, many years, I think he was very frustrated because he was not a loved person. You know, people throw tomatoes and potatoes at him at political rallies. He was very much criticized but in recent years I think he really became much appreciated and loved. Of course, not only in Israel, as we can see, but all over the world. I think he was quite happy with that. But you know the goals were goals and dreams were dreams and new dreams came, the technology and research of the brain and help starving people all over the world.

ANDERSON: Let me stop you for a moment. But you are talking technology. This is a man who at 93 probably new more about new technology and innovation than most of us. He did have an extraordinary interest in what was going on in 2016. In his early 90s, he was getting involved in what is a start up industry here in Israel.

DISKIN: I think he had the ability to grasp the key points. I don't think he knew anything about it, but you have to remember when he was in his 20s already, first of all he brought arms to Israel, became a colonel without serving in the army. Later on, he was the one who built whatever is -- it was harsh on Israeli physicists, but he really knew how to solve the problem. He understood the key points. He was not a scientist, but he had great belief in yourself, because of his achievements. It started then.

ANDERSON: And I guess that's why I'm going to put you this -- perhaps it will be the last question as we return to Mt. Herzl to hear the first of the eulogy. This is a man who was in his 90s. Perhaps other men in their 90s, as they pass away, however significant they have been for a country, the country sort of moved on. But how does the country feel about moving on from Shimon Peres, given he was still so involved?

DISKIN: Well he was not really into the politics. We have to say that. The people who ruled Israel, governed Israel are not friends of his politically. He was there to influence. I know after 2009 Menachem Begin did consult him but later on he was pushed aside. So I don't think it is going to change Israeli politics much.

ANDERSON: With that we will leave it there.

Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.

DISKIN: Thank you.

ANDERSON: As we move through the mourning, and that is Prince Charles, who's in attendance on Mt. Herzl, because the service there is about to begin. World leaders have gathered, and we expect to see Peres' coffin brought in soon. Israel's president and then the prime minister and world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, will eulogize Shimon Peres.

Oren Liebermann is on Mt. Herzl.

Ahead of the first eulogy from President Reuven Rivlin, at the funeral of the ninth president, Shimon Peres, on Mt. Herzl on the 30th of September 2016.

Describe the atmosphere, if you will -- Oren?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are moments away from the ceremony beginning. They are urging people to sit down. And the number of world leaders, that is taking some time. Shimon Peres coffin wrapped in the Israeli flag left its way from the

Knesset to here at Mt. Herzl. It will be brought in and laid in front of the crowd who will process what is happening. This is after 93 years of Shimon Peres. This is Israel facing the future and a Jewish new year around the corner without Shimon Peres. You can feel the anticipation and what is happening here and the sadness that hangs over all of this, the thank yous, the eulogies and the respect foreign policy the eulogies from world leaders, Israeli leader and from Shimon Peres' children.

It will take, I think Israelis, sometimes to process that Peres is no longer there because he's been such a constant force in so many aspects. The legacy of peace he will be most remembered for, a legacy he crafted in the last decade or so ago. As mentioned, a few moments ago, he was very much in to nanotechnology and modern things that I suspect many 93 years are not. That was Shimon Peres. He had a boundless optimism. He was curious about everything. That's what will be remembered here, a leader who could be in public service more than a half century and be remembered as a man of peace and a man that touched every aspect of the Israeli country.

Everyone here preparing for the memories that will flood forward, the wisdom, remembering the wisdom of Shimon Peres, who's been there so long, that's the mood here as this ceremony prepares to get going in what should be a few moments.

ANDERSON: That's right. Organizers, as you can see from our images, trying to get those gathered seated. Not easy when you have some 70 world leaders who will all be taking the opportunity, of course, to talk to each other. It looks as if they are beginning to take their seats.

I'm here with David Horowitz, the founding editor of the "Times of Israel."

As we wait for what is the first eulogy, David, from President Reuven Rivlin, just your thoughts as we consider these images of those gathered.

DAVID HOROWITZ, FOUNDING EDITOR, TIMES OF ISRAEL: It is an extraordinary turnout. It's a tribute to Peres personally. I think there's a solidarity with Peres' vision. This was a president who was advocating for a better Israel and better world. He was a man who was seeking to encourage the good in people. He was an optimist. Your previous guest talked about the career of political defeats, so he was personally optimistic himself. He kept bouncing back, wouldn't take defeat himself.

In terms of, you know, he secured Israel. He was central to Israel's military capacity to defend itself over his years as a young aide and later to the founding Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. Then it became Peres, the man of peace, Peres, the president, the man of peace.

I think what we're seeing today and the fact that Clinton is here, the fact that Obama who probably --

ANDERSON: John Kerry --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Yeah.

HOROWITZ: Right. A man for whom Obama had him trying in 2013, '14 to broker progress and so on. It is a tribute to the man. It also, if you like, is a solidarity of the vision with the positive goals.

ANDERSON: We are seeing the president of the United States Barack Obama who literally landed about two hours ago, if that.

HOROWITZ: Probably less.

ANDERSON: Just less than that. I think it was 8:20 local time. In fact, you're right, it was an hour and 10 minutes ago. Many of these world leaders will be on the ground for a number of hours.

HOROWITZ: He cut it very fine. But it shows how -- he lands at the airport which is near the coast, near Tel Aviv, and here he is in Jerusalem an hour later. He will be back on his plane in not many hours from now.

ANDERSON: Bill Clinton here overnight. You were pointing that out that earlier in our broadcast. He took an opportunity to go to the Knesset.

HOROWITZ: He came yesterday. The Clinton/Israel thing is really special. He has an empathetic relationship with Israel. He loved Yitzhak Rabin. He had a great deal of respect for Shimon Peres. He is not in office and, therefore, could allow himself an extra day. But I think Israelis will appreciate it. There were 40,000 Israelis passed by the coffin as it laid in state yesterday and then there was Bill Clinton who made the effort and was there bright and early yesterday morning to show respect and affection for Shimon Peres.

ANDERSON: Let's bring back in Oren Liebermann.

Oren, we are few seconds away from this service beginning ahead of the funeral that will be in two and a half hours from now. As we look at these images from those family members, friends, and those world leaders who would consider themselves friends of not just Shimon Peres, but of Israel, this is quite remarkable, isn't it, the gathering we see here?

[02:35:43] LIEBERMANN: It absolutely is. I think a lot of it is how much Shimon Peres meant to so many others, much younger world leaders that haven't spent a half century in public service. They see his wisdom and experience and his ability to evolve and change and his ability to learn and hope. They see that as a guiding light in their own leadership. That's what they are coming to remember here today. How much he meant and how long he meant it for.

It is worth noting that Mahmoud Abbas is sitting up front. We have talked about, will this meeting, will there be a meeting between President Abbas and Netanyahu. It doesn't appear that way right now. It doesn't seem likely to restart a peace process. And yet I think it would make Peres happy that Abbas was here. A small gesture he was here. He appreciated small gesture and the value of discussion, talking, how it could lead to something greater. Even if it doesn't in this case, I think Shimon Peres would have appreciated Abbas sitting up front. The two will be forever linked by the Oslo Accords, and also a critical part of Oslo Accords. Even if they have come under increasing criticism today, they are a part of Peres' and Abbas' legacy. And Peres truly believed in them. If they didn't achieve their goal, he believed, if leaders took it seriously, it would happen and could lead to peace -- Becky?

ANDERSON: You have been looking at images of the President of the United States Barack Obama with Benjamin Netanyahu as the coffin, we're told, is about to arrive there on Mt. Herzl. The relationship between Netanyahu and Obama has been, prance we might describe it as tense of late.

But let's now just pause for a moment to listen in to what is going on.

(PAUSE)

ANDERSON: Just now waiting for the president of Israel, Reuven Rivlin's, eulogy of Israel's ninth president, Shimon Peres, and that will follow the arrival of his coffin.

David, your thoughts.

HOROWITZ: Just looking at that incredible front row of dignitaries at this funeral, I'm sure the seating arrangements were pored over endlessly. You notice that Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, was in the front row but not very close to Netanyahu. Netanyahu is nonetheless standing next to Obama. These are -- the length of time little chat there between Netanyahu and Clinton also significant.

ANDERSON: The casket now arriving.

HOROWITZ: Now we begin this ceremony, which some of it was mapped out by Peres himself. Some people he wanted to speak. There's a song, a prayer that Israeli singer will be singing. One of the speakers is going to be the world renowned Israeli author, supporter of peace and friend of Shimon Peres. So this is a mixture of a state funeral and an internationally attended state funeral, but also some of the personal touches that Peres would have wanted. His three children are all going to speak. A mixture of the personal and globally resonate.

ANDERSON: Our Oren Liebermann on Mt. Herzl, as we look at the images now, the casket there on Mt. Herzl.

(CHANTING)

ANDERSON: Oren, your thoughts?

(CHANTING) [02:40:21] LIEBERMANN: Everyone is standing in silence, standing in

respect of Shimon Perez. His coffin wrapped in an Israeli flag makes its way to the front of the stage here held by the Knesset guard. Everyone is silent in respect.

(CHANTING)

LIEBERMANN: A military rabbi chanting, leading the way here as Shimon Peres takes his place up front here in a final farewell from not only so many Israeli but so many world leaders.

(CHANTING)

LIEBERMANN: His coffin making its way to the front here in front of the Israeli leaders, Prime Minister Netanyahu and others. Silence here for a moment. Silence of respect, a silence of honor and, of course, very much a silence of mourning here as Shimon Peres slowly makes his way to the front where he will be eulogized by some of Israel's and world's leaders past and present, and his children and personal friend, Amos Oz (ph). The entire crowd standing at attention and understanding slowly what's happening here, that Peres, Shimon Peres, who was with the world for so long, is no longer with the world. This will be a moment to reflect on that, a day to reflect on that.

ANDERSON: This is the state funeral of Israel's ninth president, Shimon Peres, on Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem. It's the 30th of September. There's the casket of Shimon Peres.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

ANDERSON: David Horowitz is with me here in Jerusalem.

David, we await what will be the first eulogy from the Israeli president.

HOROWITZ: We see Shimon Peres family, his two sons and his daughter and their families came in there with the coffin preparing for this ceremony, the last respects. Shimon Peres was 93 and yet, lived the fullest life one can possibly imagine and yet, of course, the grief that is passing is evident on the faces of his family, his relatives. It's not as though this would have been unexpected. And yet, he was so spectacularly vibrant in to his 90s. You were talking about nanotechnology and his fascination for the new, cutting edge. He surrounded himself with young staffers. I think it worked well in both directions. They energized him and he energized them. He didn't need much sleep and worked every available hour.

[02:45:33] ANDERSON: The speech a week or so before his death on Wednesday.

HOROWITZ: On the day that he died, he had filmed a Facebook post in which he encouraged Israelis to buy home-produced goods. He was friendly with Mark Zuckerberg. He showed President Obama around an exhibition of Israeli technology when the only other time that Obama visited as president. We thought it would be the one time that Obama visited in 2013. This tribute, this effort that the American president has made to come to the funeral is the second time he has been in Israel as president of the United States.

ANDERSON: Israel pays its final respects to its former leader, a leader for what some 70 years here.

(CROSSTALK)

HOROWITZ: Shimon Peres was central to Israel since before the foundation of the modern state. He was working closely with the incoming founding Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and he was integral to the capacity of Israel to defend itself. He procured arms for Israel. He went in to politics. He had a much less successful political career for a long time, but he led the Labour Party. He was prime minister in '95, '96, for few months, and again later in the '90s, and finally president.

ANDERSON: Let's return to Mt. Herzl and listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Representatives from around the world with deep regret we bid farewell today from the ninth president of Israel, Shimon Peres, who has left this world will be buried here on Mt. Herzl, which gets its name from the state of Israel. He was one of the forefathers of Israel, who loved it and who defended it, and who sat at the head of the armed forces, who founded the reaction and the military industries during decades worked towards the peace with Israel and its neighbors, the technology around the world. 93 years old, politician, ninth president of Israel and its prime minister was given the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Peres gave to the state of Israel most of his life during over 60 years in positions, high positions, as president the prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister, financial minister, interior minister, immigration minister, transport minister and telecommunications and development of the -- also on the opposition he was recruited by Ben Gurion at a very young age he established the reaction and military industries for the defense of Israel until today.

During that period, Peres was in Sinai and helped with the agreement with France and also Germany. Peres started to be the father of Israel with France. He was able to break in the embargo and helped the military with development and technology. As the defense minister, in 1976, he started the -- he was in charge of the release of the prisoners and under his leadership decided that they would never give in to terror. With his strong hand, Peres was in charge for many years for the forwarding of peace in Israel and its neighbors. As the defense minister, in '74, he led the agreements with Egypt and with King Hussein of Jordan. And under this agreement, the historic peace with Jordan, under the leadership of the government of Rabin, took place.

[02:51:09] As the prime minister in 1973, he laid the foundation stone for the future agreements between Israel and Palestinians. In 1976, he founded the Peres Center for Peace for peace between the Palestinians and Arabs living in Israel. In July 2016, two months ago, Peres laid the corner stone for the -- in the center in Jaffa. As the prime minister from -- the inflation of more than 400 percent a year, which he led the renewal of the finances.

It is thanks to Peres that Jews all over the world can be in Israel. He agreed with Russia that Jews could come from Russia to Israel and the prisoners released. 8,000 Jews from Ethiopia also came thanks to him, to the country.

Shimon Peres is from the founders of the high-tech in Israel and technology and you can see today start up nation. Through all of his years, Peres forwarded Israel in science and technology and the Israeli universities assisted in the development and ground-breaking inventions, robots and nanotechnology.

In 2007, Peres was chosen as the Knesset as the ninth president of Israel and he was the first president who had also been prime minister. During this period, he was given -- from around the world he was given honor and respect and strengthened the society in Israel, the advance of science through Israeli scientists who were ground breakers. He was seen as a person of vision who represented the nice face of Israel.

During the years, he forwarded Israel and was the corner stone between Israel and the Palestinians and around the world he was respected and given the Nobel Peace Prize. At the head of them, the Peace Medal from the Christian religion. Elizabeth, who gave him an honor, and the president of the United States, Obama, who gave him the Freedom Medal of America. Peres became the only prime minister in Israel who got that award.

He made songs and wrote. He was born as Shimon -- in 1923 in Belarus, which was then Poland, and in 1933 came to the country. He was a shepherd and cow keeper. In 1924, he was born to his parents. He had three children. He has left this world in 2016.

It is my honor now to call the president of Israel.

[02:56:03] REUVEN RIVKIN, ISRAELI PRESIDENT (through translation): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Family, grandchildren, leaders from around the world, friends of Israel, prime minister of Israel, leaders, Shimon went to his world. Shimon is a man of men. This was written by general and this president. He was strong in moments of difficulty. A poem has been read. I speak to you today for the last time today, as president. Shimon, you tried to give good advice. I speak -- you have been taken from us today and you will be in the earth you loved so much. Your dreams do not finish, do not end. You are a man who did many things. Between the nations as a -- you are not only a visionary person but also a man of feeling.

Like you, I was also born into the Zionist movement in the years when there was vision. I was able to see how you built the country right up to the end. For both of us, Israel will never be divided. For all of our friends, and enemies, Israel is real.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

You always looked up as if you wanted to climb mountains. You go to the peaks. That's how you live your life. First, you were a dreamer and not only were you able to see, your thoughts about how Israel would reach the summit, only then you started, you brought everybody with you to the peak.