Veteran Israeli Foreign Correspondent Gideon Kutz Dies at 78

Gideon Kutz, a veteran Israeli journalist and foreign correspondent, has passed away in Paris at the age of 78. For four decades, Kutz served as the Paris correspondent for Kol Yisrael (the former Israel Broadcasting Authority's radio service), becoming a recognizable voice reporting from France and Europe.

Born in Łódź, Poland, in 1948, Kutz immigrated to Israel with his family in 1957. He began his broadcasting career with Kol Yisrael in 1986 and later became the European correspondent for Channel 1. Following the establishment of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, he continued his role as a correspondent and commentator on European affairs.

Throughout his extensive career, Kutz covered numerous pivotal events that shaped Europe and the world. These included the fall of the Berlin Wall, the revolutions in Eastern Europe, the Yugoslav and Chechen wars, the Middle East peace process, the Arab Spring, terrorist attacks in Europe, the Ukraine crisis, and nuclear talks with Iran.

Beyond his journalistic work, Kutz was also a researcher and historian specializing in the history of Hebrew and Jewish journalism in Europe. He held a full professorship in Communication and Culture at Paris 8 University and edited the journal "Kesher," dedicated to the study of Jewish and Israeli press and communication history. Kutz also served for five years as president of the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in France and was its honorary president.

He is survived by his wife, journalist and photographer Yafa Eiron-Kutz, and their two children.