Shimon Peres was a co-winner of the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize. He was an Israeli politician and statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of Israel and once as President of Israel. Peres was also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East.