A 1937 Government of Palestine naturalisation document bearing the name Szymel Perski, later known as Shimon Peres. Photo: X
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 recently uncovered archival document.
The document, published by Al Jazeera Documentary on its official X account, include an application form bearing Peres’s signature and handwritten statements, in which he declared his occupation as agricultural worker and pledged loyalty to the Palestinian government.
The oath, written beneath his signature, reads, “I will be faithful and loyal to the Government of Palestine.”
According to Al Jazeera, the original document is preserved in the Israel State Archives, which maintains historical records from the British Mandate period.
The file also records his request to change his first name from Szymel to Shimon, noting in his handwriting that “Szymel is a corrupted Polish version of the name Shimon.”
The post prompted widespread online reaction, with users criticising Peres’s later role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite his international image as a peacemaker.
Peres, born in Poland in 1923, emigrated to British Mandate Palestine in the 1930s and went on to become one of the architects of modern Israel. He served twice as prime minister and later as president, playing a key role in the development of Israel’s defence and nuclear programmes.
In 1994, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in the Oslo Peace Accords, alongside Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafa.
Historical records show that around 67,000 Jews applied for Palestinian citizenship from 1937–1947. Each application included personal details, family information, photographs and the names of two sponsors.
According to Times of Israel, among the sponsors in some applications were 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.
This post was last modified on October 19, 2025 2:40 pm