Official Israel reacted with sadness Monday to news of the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. “Today I mourn the passing of Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said. “She was truly a great leader, a woman of principle, of determination, of conviction, of strength; a woman of greatness. She was a staunch friend of Israel and the Jewish people. She inspired a generation of political leaders. I send my most sincere condolences to her family and to the government and people of Great Britain.”

President Shimon Peres also expressed his sorrow at the passing of Thatcher, known as “the Iron Lady. “There are people, there are ideas. Occasionally those two come together to create vision,” Peres said. “Lady Thatcher was an exceptional leader, a colleague in the international arena and a friend for me personally. She served as an inspiration for other leaders, as the first female Prime Minister of Great Britain she broke new ground. She showed how far a person can go with strength of character, determination and a clear vision.

She was a true and dedicated friend of Israel, who stood with us in times of crisis and used her influence to help us in trying to make peace,” Peres continued. “During our negotiations with Jordan in the late 1980s, she stood as a mediator and a source of wisdom for me and the King of Jordan. I send my sincere condolences to her family, to her friends and to the people of Great Britain,” he added.