New York - Congressman Charles Rangel released the following statement on the 15th anniversary of the shooting death of Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Yitzhak Rabin.

"Great leaders are remembered not for how long they lived but for what they accomplished with the time that they had on earth.

Yitzhak Rabin continues to serve as an inspirational figure 15 years after his tragic assassination. To some, his dedication to peace after so many years of military service was a surprising conversion. But, not to me. Anyone who has spent any time on the battlefield comes to know how precious life truly is.  It takes just as much strength and courage to prevent violence as it does to let loose the dogs of war.

In remembering him, we thank him for moving us one step closer to the kind of world that we can be proud of leaving our children to enjoy. The principals that he dedicated his life to -- of not just peace, but also the hope that mutual respect and collaboration can bring  -- are still good ones. Principals that are certainly worth standing up for, not just in Israel and the Middle East, but around every corner of the world.