Akiva Eldar
Encyclopedia
Akiva Eldar is an Israel
i journalist
and author, currently a chief political columnist
and editorial writer for the liberal Israeli national daily Ha'aretz. His columns also appear regularly in the Ha'aretz-International Herald Tribune
edition, as well as in the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun
. He lectured at the School of Journalism in Tel Aviv University
and is also a consultant at CBS News
.
Eldar graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, where he majored in Economics, Political Science and Psychology. After that he served as spokesperson for former Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek
. Then he was reporter and editor at the Israeli Public Radio
. Eldar has been with Ha'aretz since 1978, in 1983-1993 he was the diplomatic correspondent
for Ha'aretz. In 1993-1996 he served as Ha'aretz United States
Bureau Chief and Washington, D.C.
correspondent, covering the peace process
, Israel-United States relations
, American issues and Israel-Diaspora
relations. He was a special consultant to Abba Eban
's PBS television
documentaries on the history of Israel
and the Oslo accords
.
In October 2007 Akiva Eldar has won the annual Eliav-Sartawi award for Middle Eastern journalism, awarded by Search for Common Ground
, an international conflict transformation organization, sharing it with Jordan
ian journalist Salameh Nematt
.
Nahum Barnea
, winner of the Israel Prize
, formulated the "Lynch test
", which tests the consistency of Israeli journalists. According to Eldar, Barnea listed Eldar as one of several journalists "who could not bring themselves to criticize the Arabs even when two Israelis were savagely murdered by a mob in Ramallah", that their "support for the Palestinian position is absolute", and that "they have a mission." Eldar, responded that "I admit to being guilty as charged. I am a journalist with a mission, and also no small amount of passion. Every Israeli with a conscience, in particular one who watches reality from up close on a daily basis, cannot write about the occupation from an objective observer's neutral point of view." In a response op-ed, Calev Ben-David wrote that if Eldar is not empathetic of the Israelis' concerns, he will do little "to advance the Palestinian cause, as he merely preaches to the converted and makes his own conscience feel cleaner in the process."
; he is also the co-author (with Prof. Idith Zertal) of book Lords of the Land: The War Over Israel's Settlements in the Occupied Territories, 1967-2007 (Nation Books, 2007) ISBN 1-56858-370-2.
in London
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author, currently a chief political columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
and editorial writer for the liberal Israeli national daily Ha'aretz. His columns also appear regularly in the Ha'aretz-International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
edition, as well as in the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun
Mainichi Shimbun
The is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by .-History:The history of the Mainichi Shimbun begins with founding of two papers during the Meiji period. The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper...
. He lectured at the School of Journalism in Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
and is also a consultant at CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
.
Eldar graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, where he majored in Economics, Political Science and Psychology. After that he served as spokesperson for former Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek
Teddy Kollek
Theodor "Teddy" Kollek was mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983 and 1989...
. Then he was reporter and editor at the Israeli Public Radio
Kol Yisrael
Kol Yisrael is Israel's public domestic and international radio service, operated as a division of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.-History:...
. Eldar has been with Ha'aretz since 1978, in 1983-1993 he was the diplomatic correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for Ha'aretz. In 1993-1996 he served as Ha'aretz United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bureau Chief and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
correspondent, covering the peace process
Peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict has taken shape over the years, despite the ongoing violence in the Middle East and an "all or nothing" attitude about a lasting peace, "which prevailed for most of the twentieth century"...
, Israel-United States relations
Israel-United States relations
Israel–United States relations are an important factor in the United States government's overall policy in the Middle East, and Congress has placed considerable importance on the maintenance of a close and supportive relationship. The main expression of Congressional support for Israel has been...
, American issues and Israel-Diaspora
Jewish diaspora
The Jewish diaspora is the English term used to describe the Galut גלות , or 'exile', of the Jews from the region of the Kingdom of Judah and Roman Iudaea and later emigration from wider Eretz Israel....
relations. He was a special consultant to Abba Eban
Abba Eban
Abba Eban was an Israeli diplomat and politician.In his career he was Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations...
's PBS television
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
documentaries on the history of Israel
History of Israel
The State of Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948 after almost two millennia of Jewish dispersal and persecution around the Mediterranean. From the late 19th century the Zionist movement worked towards the goal of recreating a homeland for the Jewish people...
and the Oslo accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
.
In October 2007 Akiva Eldar has won the annual Eliav-Sartawi award for Middle Eastern journalism, awarded by Search for Common Ground
Search for Common Ground
Search for Common Ground is an international non-profit organization operating in nearly 30 countries whose mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict – away from adversarial approaches toward cooperative solutions. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with the majority of...
, an international conflict transformation organization, sharing it with Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian journalist Salameh Nematt
Salameh Nematt
Salameh Nematt is a Jordanian journalist and analyst with over 25 years of experience in economic and political reporting, research and analysis of developments in the broader Middle East, Europe and the United States...
.
Nahum Barnea
Nahum Barnea
Nahum Barnea is an Israeli journalist. Barnea writes for Yedioth Ahronoth and Ha'Ayin HaShevi'it. He won the Israel Prize in 2007.-Biography:...
, winner of the Israel Prize
Israel Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, formulated the "Lynch test
Lynch test
"Lynch test" is a term used to describe a consistency test of journalists covering the Israeli-Arab conflict. According to Nahum Barnea, winner of the Israel Prize, Israeli journalists who fail to criticize Arab terrorism fail the lynch test...
", which tests the consistency of Israeli journalists. According to Eldar, Barnea listed Eldar as one of several journalists "who could not bring themselves to criticize the Arabs even when two Israelis were savagely murdered by a mob in Ramallah", that their "support for the Palestinian position is absolute", and that "they have a mission." Eldar, responded that "I admit to being guilty as charged. I am a journalist with a mission, and also no small amount of passion. Every Israeli with a conscience, in particular one who watches reality from up close on a daily basis, cannot write about the occupation from an objective observer's neutral point of view." In a response op-ed, Calev Ben-David wrote that if Eldar is not empathetic of the Israelis' concerns, he will do little "to advance the Palestinian cause, as he merely preaches to the converted and makes his own conscience feel cleaner in the process."
Books
Akiva Eldar is the co-author of the biography of Shimon PeresShimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
; he is also the co-author (with Prof. Idith Zertal) of book Lords of the Land: The War Over Israel's Settlements in the Occupied Territories, 1967-2007 (Nation Books, 2007) ISBN 1-56858-370-2.
Awards
In 2010, Akiva won a Peace through Media Award at the sixth annual International Media Awards hosted by the International Council for Press and BroadcastingInternational Council for Press and Broadcasting
The council is a subsidiary body of the Next Century Foundation, an organisation which deals primarily with conflict resolution issues and holds an annual International Media Awards in London...
in London