Veteran Israeli Broadcaster Gideon Kutz Dies at 78

Gideon Kutz, a prominent Israeli journalist and commentator, passed away in Paris on Sunday at the age of 78. Kutz was known for his decades-long career as a correspondent for Kol Israel (the former state radio) in Paris, becoming a recognizable voice for Israeli public broadcasting from France and Europe.

Kan 11, Israel's public broadcaster, issued a statement mourning his death, calling him a "symbol of foreign reporting for Kol Israel and the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation in Europe for four decades." The broadcaster lauded Kutz as an "ultimate envoy for public broadcasting in Europe, curious, knowledgeable, in-depth, and adventurous," noting his coverage of major conflicts and his willingness to report from Arab nations and Iran, leaving a legacy of journalistic achievements.

Born in Łódź, Poland, in 1948, Kutz immigrated to Israel with his family in 1957. He began his broadcasting career with Kol Israel in 1986 and later served as the European correspondent for Channel 1. He continued his work from Paris with the establishment of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, covering European affairs.

During his extensive career, Kutz reported on pivotal events that shaped Europe and the international landscape, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the revolutions in Eastern Europe, the Yugoslav and Chechen wars, the Middle East peace process, and the Arab Spring. Beyond journalism, Kutz was also an academic, holding a full professorship in communication and culture at Paris 8 University and serving as a research fellow at Tel Aviv University. His passing marks the end of a career dedicated to covering European affairs for an Israeli audience.