JERUSALEM - Israeli newspapers on Monday dedicated their front pages to former president Ezer Weizman, who died aged 81, as a "pioneer for peace" and one of the most prominent leaders of the Jewish state.
Weizman, who died Sunday, served as Israel's seventh state president from 1993 to 2000 and is remembered as a brilliant air force pilot who embodied national ideals of courage and helped to secure peace with Arab neighbours.
"I have lost a commander and a close friend," said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, remembering Weizman as a "symbol and model of the sabra" aristocracy of Jews born in the Holy Land.
His successor as president, Moshe Katsav, described Weizman as "one of Israel's outstanding leaders and guiding statesmen."
"He had great personal charm and was known for his great love of the land and its people," said Katsav. "He knew how to directly reach the hearts of the people with the power of his leadership."
Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres paid homage to a man who "fought with the same courage, in the ranks of the air force as in civilian life for peace".
The liberal-leaning Haaretz newspaper hailed the former air force commander as the "architect of peace with Egypt" for his role in bringing about the 1979 treaty with Cairo.
The mass-selling Yediot Aharonot published a euology from Katsav who also paid his respects to the general who played a major role in Israel's victory in the 1967 Six Day War and later in securing peace.
"Farewell to the pilot" ran the headline in the Maariv newspaper, calling Weizman "undoubtedly the most mischievous, colourful and sharp-tongued of Israel's presidents".
Before being elected president, Weizman was chief of Israel's air force from 1958-66 and deputy chief of staff during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
Widely popular despite his legendary bluntness, he was forced to resign in 2000 after it was revealed that he had received some 450,000 dollars as "gifts" from a French millionaire when he was an MP and minister.
04/25/2005 07:45 GMT