“Shamir did not anticipate a political career, and he did not prepare himself to become prime minister. He was never involved in any sort of maneuvering that characterizes party politics, and felt quite uncomfortable in this environment. He was a very private, closed up man who spoke little and felt uneasy at public gatherings. He preferred to sit on the second floor of the Prime Minister’s Residence, drink tea prepared by his devoted wife Shulamit, and write in his notebook.

I had the privilege of being in that small room with him on several occasions, particularly during times of crisis, when a determined, clear stance was required. Shamir did not speak harshly or make bombastic statements, but he was decisive, firm and precise. His position was clear, and he never hesitated to express it, even when he knew it would stir anger, disagreement and perhaps even criticism in Israel and abroad.

As prime minister, Shamir was unyielding. He rejected Roni Milo’s suggestion to withdraw from Gaza ahead of the 1992 elections, despite the fact that it could have helped his party gain more votes.

It is too soon to determine when his obstinacy was beneficial and when it was damaging. We should not assume that Shamir would have acted today as he did 20 years ago, because he knew how to be a pragmatist and become more flexible when the circumstances demanded it. He participated in the Madrid Conference not because he believed it would bring peace, but because he believed Israel could not turn down such an initiative. When it was called for, Shamir took chances. The failure of the Madrid conference did not surprise him, but he never regretted participating in it.”

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