Hillary Clinton will not attend the funeral of former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton will pay his respects to Peres on Friday at a state funeral in Jerusalem.

Hillary Clinton will not accompany him, said Jennifer Palmieri, communications director to the presidential nominee.

The Israeli government had said both Clintons would be at the funeral Friday, but Democratic White House contender's campaign said that is not the case. Palmieri said the former first lady was never going.

Clinton has an event Friday in Des Moines, Iowa, and is considering a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday. Bill Clinton was to embark on a two-day bus tour on Friday in Florida to promote his wife's candidacy that her campaign has cancelled.

A Quinnipiac University poll posted before Monday's debate had Clinton and her Republican opponent Donald Trump in a dead heat, with the former secretary of state ahead by one.

Israel's President Shimon Peres (R) kisses U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as he gives her flowers after their meeting in Jerusalem in 2009

Shimon Peres, the Nobel laureate and former prime minister, died on Tuesday just two weeks after suffering a stroke. He was 93

The Clintons said in a statement that Israel has lost a leader 'who championed its security, prosperity and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth'

World leaders are set to pay their respects to 'man of peace' Shimon Peres, the Israeli Nobel laureate, former prime minister, and president, in Jerusalem on Friday.

Mr. Peres died on Tuesday in a hospital near Tel Aviv at the age of 93.

The elder statesman had been in declining health in recent weeks after suffering a stroke that left him unconscious and relying on a breathing tube.

A former aide to Peres says his body will lie in state at the Knesset, or Israeli parliament, on Thursday before a state funeral at the country's national cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday.

Yona Bartal, his former aide, told Israel's Channel 10 TV that the plans were in line with Peres' wishes.

Israel's Foreign Ministry says a long list of world leaders will attend the funeral.

Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Wednesday that President Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Prince Charles and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were all expected.

The government official said many other VIPs are also planning to attend.

The Clintons said in a joint statement that they have 'lost a true and treasured friend.'

Israel has lost a leader 'who championed its security, prosperity and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth,' the former president and first lady said.

Bill Clinton called Peres a 'genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth.

'His critics called him a dreamer,' Clinton said. 'That he was - a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness.'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a special session of his governing Cabinet to mark the death of Peres.

Netanyahu said he 'never stopped trying to reach to peace and believing in peace.

'His hand was always extended to a historic compromise with our neighbors, and even if this compromise tarried, he taught us never to give in to despair, but to cling to hope.

Israeli workers prepare the grave where former Israeli President Shimon Peres will be buried at the national leader Memorial Park in Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on September 28

A former aide to Peres says his body will lie in state at the Knesset, or Israeli parliament, on Thursday before a state funeral at the country's national cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday

'His life was a blessing to all who strive for peace,' former President Bill Clinton tweeted in reaction to Peres' death on Tuesday

Netanyahu, Peres' longtime political rival, admitted that the two 'had differences of opinion' but said their relations strengthened with time. Peres served as president during Netanyahu's previous term as prime minister.

Doctors had hoped that Peres would be able to recover from his stroke, but his condition continued to deteriorate over the weekend.

Hospital officials told family members that there was nothing they could do for him.

His son, Chemi, made the announcement of his death to reporters gathered at the hospital where Peres has been treated for the past two weeks.

'Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel,' he said.

'Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.'

Peres was best known as the statesman who along with Yitzhak Rabin agreed to recognize Israel's longtime enemy, the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the legitimate representative of the Palestinians and embark on a process of negotiations for peace.

For their efforts, Rabin, Peres, and PLO chief Yasser Arafat were awarded the Nobel Prize.

In a touching tribute, President Obama said of Peres: 'The hope he gave us will burn forever'

After Rabin's assassination in 1995 at the hands of right-wing Jewish extremists opposed to territorial concessions to the Palestinians, Peres once again became prime minister.

But he was unable to continue Rabin's work due to his slim election loss to the hawkish Benjamin Netanyahu.

Peres' passing marks the end of an era in Israel's history, as the last of the country's founding generation leaves the stage.

Tributes from dignitaries came pouring in as news of Peres' passing spread.

U.S. President Barack Obama, who forged a close relationship with Peres, released a statement on Tuesday mourning his passing.

Peres (center), PLO chairman Yasser Arafat (left), and then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin (right) are awarded the Nobel Prize in Oslo on December 10, 1994

TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR SHIMON PERES FROM AROUND THE WORLD President Barack Obama: 'A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever. Shimon Peres was a soldier for Israel, for the Jewish people, for justice, for peace, and for the belief that we can be true to our best selves - to the very end of our time on Earth, and in the legacy that we leave to others. For the gift of his friendship and the example of his leadership, todah rabah, Shimon.' Former President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton: 'With the passing of Shimon Peres, Israel has lost a leader who championed its security, prosperity, and limitless possibilities from its birth to his last day on earth. The Middle East has lost a fervent advocate for peace and reconciliation and for a future where all the children of Abraham build a better tomorrow together. And Hillary and I have lost a true and treasured friend. 'I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations. He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth. His critics called him a dreamer. That he was - a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive.' Peres (left) and then-President Bill Clinton sign an agreement at the White House. The US pledged to provide Israel with counter-terrorism equipment on April 30, 1996 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: 'Shimon Peres never stopped trying to reach peace and believing in peace. His hand was always extended to a historic compromise with our neighbors, and even if this compromise tarried, he taught us never to give in to despair, but to cling to hope.' Chemi Peres, Shimon Peres' son: 'Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the 9th president of Israel. Our father's legacy has always been to look to tomorrow. We were privileged to be part of his private family, but today we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community share this great loss. We share this pain together.' Former President George H. W. Bush: 'Barbara and I join Shimon Peres' countless admirers around the world in saluting his singular life of service - to the universal cause of freedom, to the timeless cause of Israel, to the noblest cause of peace. By his unyielding determination and principle, Shimon Peres time and again helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge. But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side.' Former President George W. Bush: 'Laura and I join the people of Israel and those around the world in mourning the death of Shimon Peres. As a young man, he worked for his country's independence. For the rest of his life, he led it with a deep and abiding concern for his people and a commitment to freedom and peace. The Bush family will miss Shimon Peres and his grace, dignity, and optimism.' President Barack Obama welcomes Israeli President Shimon Peres in the Oval Office Tuesday in 2009 He was a voice of reason who also happened to have the sensibility of a poet.thoughtful and soft-spoken, but his words echoed loudly around the world. I adored Shimon.and I'm so grateful that I was able to spend some time with him over the years, and sing for him at his 90th birthday celebration in Israel. Thank god his spirit, his wisdom, and his ideals will live forever.' U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan: 'The world has lost a true legend and statesman. Shimon Peres was a gift to the country he helped establish and lead, and a persistent voice for the cause of peace. President Peres' countless contributions to the world earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While we join the State of Israel and people around the globe in mourning his death, we also give thanks for his incredible life.'

'Shimon Peres' story was the story of modern Israel - a saga of daring, dynamism and wisdom. With all of his heart, this farmer, fighter, author, Nobel Peace Prize winner, prime minister and president worked to guide his nation into a secure and confident future. I valued his friendship. He was an intellectual resource who personified the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel.'House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi: Advertisement

Pope Francis and Israeli President Shimon Peres, right, meet in Jerusalem in May 2014

'A light has gone out,' US President Barack Obama tweeted on Tuesday in reaction to the news of the passing of Peres

Obama (left) presented Peres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award given to a civilian in peacetime, at the White House on June 13, 2012

'There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves,' Obama wrote.

'My friend Shimon was one of those people.'

Obama calls Peres 'the essence of Israel itself,' noting Peres had fought for Israel's independence, worked its land and served Israel in virtually every government position.

The U.S. leader said that with the death of Peres, 'a light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever.'

'Tonight, Michelle and I join people across Israel, the United States and around the world in honoring the extraordinary life of our dear friend Shimon Peres - a founding father of the State of Israel and a statesman whose commitment to Israel's security and pursuit of peace was rooted in his own unshakeable moral foundation and unflagging optimism.'

'I will always be grateful that I was able to call Shimon my friend,' Obama wrote.

WHAT WERE SHIMON PERES' CAREER HIGHLIGHTS? In an unprecedented seven-decade political career, Shimon Peres has filled nearly every position in Israeli public life. —Shimon Perski is born on Aug. 2, 1923 in Vishneva, then part of Poland. He moves to pre-state Palestine in 1934 with his immediate family and later enters politics where he becomes a protégé of Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion. —In 1952, at age 29, he becomes the youngest person ever to serve as director-general of Israel's Defense Ministry. There he is credited with arming Israel's military almost from scratch and creating what is widely believed to be a nuclear arsenal. —In 1959, Peres is first elected to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, serving almost uninterrupted until 2007. He is appointed deputy defense minister. —In 1969, he is appointed minister of immigrant absorption, the first in a long line of Cabinet position to follow. 1984: Prime Minister designate Shimon Peres and former defense minister Ezer Weizman sign an agreement between their two parties in Tel Aviv —In 1977, he suffers defeat while running for prime minister, losing to Menachem Begin, whose Likud party rises to power for the first time. —In 1984, he finally becomes prime minister after tying with Likud's Yitzhak Shamir and agreeing to share the job in a rotation. As prime minister, he disentangles Israeli troops from Lebanon and rescues the economy from triple-digit inflation. — In 1992, he becomes foreign minister in the Labor party-led government, serving under his longtime rival Yitzhak Rabin. Together they work to forge the first peace accord with the Palestinians and a peace accord with Jordan. In 1994, they share the Nobel Peace Prize with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. —In 1995, after Rabin is assassinated by a Jewish ultranationalist opposed to Israel's peace moves, Peres became acting prime minister. Just six months later he is defeated by Benjamin Netanyahu in elections. —In 2007, he is elected president, a largely ceremonial role but one that earns him the kind of national admiration that eluded him throughout his lengthy career. —In 2014, Peres completes his presidential term, remaining active at his peace center until suffering a debilitating stroke on Sept. 13. Advertisement

Former US President George H.W. Bush hailed Peres for his 'unyielding determination and principle' which 'helped guide his beloved country through the crucible of mortal challenge.'

'But it was by his innate humanity, his decency, that Shimon inspired the world over and helped pave a path to peace broad enough that future generations will walk it one day, side-by side,' the elder Bush said.

GOP Senator Ted Cruz of Texas released a statement honoring Peres for his 'exceptional service to the Jewish state' and his 'enduring friendship with the United States.'

'My thoughts and prayers are with his family and our close ally Israel. May his memory be a blessing.'

'Shimon Peres was, above all, a man of peace,' tweeted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 'My deepest condolences to his loved ones and to the people of Israel on his passing.'

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic senator from New York, tweeted in reaction to the news of Peres' passing

House Speaker Paul Ryan hailed Peres as a 'true legend and statesman'

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio salutes Peres as a 'visionary crusader of peace'

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin says he is cutting short an official visit to Ukraine to attend the funeral on Friday.

Rivlin is in Ukraine for a commemoration of the 1941 Babi Yar massacre, in which more than 100,000 Jews and others were killed by Nazi officers in a ravine on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev during World War II.

Rivlin said in a statement Wednesday: 'A short distance from where I am visiting in Ukraine, in the city of Vishnyeva, Belarus, was born Szymon Perski, who grew to be a young man with great dreams.'

Peres later immigrated to pre-state Israel and changed his last name.

Rivlin said: 'Shimon made us look far into the future, and we loved him. We loved him because he made us dare to imagine not what was once here, nor what is now, but what could be.'

Rivlin succeeded Peres as president in 2014.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas expressed happiness at the death of Peres.

A spokesman for the group, Sami Abu Zuhri, tells The Associated Press Wednesday, 'the Palestinian people are very happy at the passing of this criminal who caused their blood to shed.'

He added: 'Shimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli official who founded the occupation, and his death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness.'

Hamas is sworn to the destruction of Israel. In 2007, it routed forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas and took over the Gaza Strip.

There was no immediate comment from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who supports the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Peres (left), then-president of Israel, welcomes US President George W. Bush to the Knesset in Jerusalem on May 15, 2008

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore (L) meets with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres(R) in February 1994 in Washington D.C.

Peres (left) and Yitzhak Rabin, seen here as opposition lawmakers in 1984, would take Israel onto a path of peacemaking, though it ultimately cost Rabin his life

Just before he fell ill, Peres recorded a message on Facebook in Hebrew urging Israelis to buy domestically manufactured products.

'I want all of you to buy Israeli products that are made in Israel,' the former president said. 'Not just because it's more patriotic to do so, but because it's better.'

A protege of Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, he led the Defense Ministry in his 20s and spearheaded the development of Israel's nuclear program.

He was first elected to parliament in 1959 and later held every major Cabinet post - including defense, finance and foreign affairs - and served three brief stints as prime minister.

His key role in the first Israeli-Palestinian peace accord earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and revered status as Israel's then most recognizable figure abroad.

And yet, for much of his political career he could not parlay his international prestige into success in Israeli politics, where he was branded by many as both a utopian dreamer and political schemer.

His well-tailored, necktied appearance and swept-back gray hair seemed to separate him from his more informal countrymen.

He suffered a string of electoral defeats: competing in five general elections seeking the prime minister's spot, he lost four and tied one.

He finally secured the public adoration that had long eluded him when he has chosen by parliament to a seven-year term as Israel's ceremonial president in 2007, taking the role of elder statesman.

Peres was celebrated by doves and vilified by hawks for advocating far-reaching Israeli compromises for peace even before he negotiated the first interim accord with the Palestinians in 1993 that set into motion a partition plan that gave them limited self-rule.

That was followed by a peace accord with neighboring Jordan. But after a fateful six-month period in 1995-96 that included Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, a spate of Palestinian suicide bombings and Peres' own election loss to the more conservative Benjamin Netanyahu, the prospects for peace began to evaporate.

Relegated to the political wilderness, he created his non-governmental Peres Center for Peace that raised funds for cooperation and development projects involving Israel, the Palestinians and Arab nations.

He returned to it at age 91 when he completed his term as president.

Shimon Perski was born on Aug. 2, 1923, in Vishneva, then part of Poland. He moved to pre-state Palestine in 1934 with his immediate family.

Her grandfather and other relatives stayed behind and perished in the Holocaust. Rising quickly through Labor Party ranks, he became a top aide to Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister and a man Peres once called 'the greatest Jew of our time.'

At 29, he was the youngest person to serve as director of Israel's Defense Ministry, and is credited with arming Israel's military almost from scratch.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (right) embraces President Peres before their dinner in Jerusalem on June 28, 2013

Yet throughout his political career, he suffered from the fact that he never wore an army uniform or fought in a war.

Of his 10 books, several amplified his vision of a 'new Middle East' where there was peaceful economic and cultural cooperation among all the nations of the region.

Despite continued waves of violence that pushed the Israeli political map to the right, the concept of a Palestinian state next to Israel became mainstream Israeli policy many years after Peres advocated it.

Shunted aside during the 1999 election campaign, won by party colleague Ehud Barak, Peres rejected advice to retire, assuming the newly created and loosely defined Cabinet post of Minister for Regional Cooperation.

In 2000, Peres absorbed another resounding political slap, losing an election in the parliament for the largely ceremonial post of president to Likud Party backbencher Moshe Katsav, who was later convicted and imprisoned for rape.

Even so, Peres refused to quit. In 2001, at age 77, he took the post of foreign minister in the government of national unity set up by Ariel Sharon, serving for 20 months before Labor withdrew from the coalition.