Former Israeli president Ezer Weizman, whose high-profile transition from fighter pilot to ambassador for peace embodied the evolving aspirations of the state, has died. He was 80.

Mr Weizman, who held Israel’s seventh state presidency from 1993 until a corruption scandal forced his resignation in 2000, had been admitted into intensive care in late February with a lung infection.

He died shortly before 8pm yesterday at his home in the northern Israeli resort town of Caesarea with his family at his bedside. A state funeral will be held tomorrow at a cemetery in Or Akiva, near to the northern city of Haifa.

Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, led tributes saying: "I have lost a commander and a close friend."

In three decades in political life, Mr Weizman transformed from hawk to dove, ultimately imploring the Jews to learn to "share this part of the world" with the Arabs.

He learned to fly aged 16 and served as a fighter pilot in the British army during the Second World War. He later became the Chief of Israel’s Air Force and the deputy chief of staff during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

In 1977, he headed the election campaign that launched the right-wing Menachem Begin's Likud Party into power.

He left politics in 1992, following accusations of links with the outlawed Palestine Liberation Organisation, to re-emerge in 1993 as Labour’s candidate for president.

His final year in office was marred by scandal when it was revealed that he had received some $450,000 as "gifts" from a French millionaire when he was an MP and minister.

Shimon Peres, Israel's Deputy Prime Minister, said that Mr Weizman was unique: "In war, he showed incredible bravery, and when peace appeared on the horizon, he enlisted for it."

Israeli newspapers today dedicated their front pages to a "pioneer for peace", describing Mr Weizman as one of the most prominent leaders of the Jewish state.

Moshe Katsav, his successor as president, described him as "one of Israel’s outstanding leaders and guiding statesmen."

He said: "He had great personal charm and was known for his great love of the land and its people.

"He knew how to directly reach the hearts of the people with the power of his leadership."

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