Tel Aviv: A recently uncovered document has revealed that former Israeli Prime Minister and President Shimon Peres, then known as Szymel Perski, applied for Palestinian citizenship in 1937 during the British Mandate period.
According to Al Jazeera Documentary, which published the record on its official X account, the archival document includes Peres’s signed application form and handwritten statements declaring his occupation as an agricultural worker and pledging loyalty to the Government of Palestine.
The oath beneath his signature reads, “I will be faithful and loyal to the Government of Palestine.”
The original record, preserved in the Israel State Archives, also contains Peres’s request to officially change his first name from “Szymel” to “Shimon,” noting that “Szymel is a corrupted Polish version of the name Shimon.”
The revelation has sparked widespread reaction online, with many users contrasting Peres’s early pledge of loyalty to Palestine with his later role as a leading Israeli statesman and key figure in the country’s military and political establishment.
Born in Poland in 1923, Peres emigrated to British Mandate Palestine in the 1930s and went on to become one of Israel’s founding leaders. He served twice as prime minister and later as president, playing a crucial role in shaping Israel’s defence and nuclear programmes.
In 1994, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for their efforts in the Oslo Peace Accords.
Historical records show that around 67,000 Jews applied for Palestinian citizenship between 1937 and 1947. Each application included personal and family details, photographs, and the names of two sponsors.
According to the Times of Israel, some applications were backed by individuals who later became prominent figures in Israeli society, including future Prime Minister Golda Meir, cabinet minister Shlomo Hillel, actress Hana Rubina, and author Yehuda Burla.