The President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres, arrived last Tuesday June 24, on a diplomatic visit to the United States of America for what was his final foreign trip as the president of the State of Israel after a 7-year term in office and over 65 years of public service. During the visit President Peres met with President Obama at the White House and received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony attended by House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Republic Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. President Peres is the first sitting president of the State of Israel to receive the award. The bill, which passed the Senate and the House, includes the following among its recommendations, "Shimon Peres has honorably served Israel for over 70 years, during which he has significantly contributed to United States interests and has played a pivotal role in forging the strong and unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel."

President Peres was also the guest of honor at an event to champion U.S.-Israel relations hosted by Israel's ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer. The event was attended by leading figures of the American administration including senators, members of congress and opinion leaders.

Traveling to New York, President Peres took part in a special event to say farewell to the Jewish community in New York and use the visit to conduct a series of diplomatic meetings including one with the U.N. Secretary General.