Veteran Israeli Journalist Oren Nahari Dies at 70 After Battling ALS

Oren Nahari, a prominent Israeli journalist, commentator, and author, passed away at the age of 70 after a battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Nahari, known as one of Israel's leading voices in foreign news coverage, had recently announced his retirement due to his illness. His final radio program, "Saturday with Oren Nahari," aired on August 8, where he bid farewell to his listeners and urged them to remain curious and open-minded about the world.

In March, Nahari publicly revealed his diagnosis of ALS, describing the disease as incurable and rapidly progressing in his case. Despite the severity of his condition, he expressed no fear of death. Throughout his extensive career, Nahari held numerous key roles in foreign news, including serving as foreign news editor for Channel One in the early 1990s and co-founding influential programs such as "Seeing the World" and "Globus." He also contributed to the program "From Today to Tomorrow" and worked as a reporter, editor, presenter, and commentator.

In recent years, Nahari returned to public broadcasting, hosting weekly shows on Kan Reshet Bet and co-presenting the radio series "The American Experiment" with Eran Sikurel, commemorating 250 years of U.S. independence. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation eulogized him as a symbol of public broadcasting and a pillar of foreign news coverage in Israel. They highlighted his dedication to conveying complex international events with love, curiosity, and journalistic mission, referencing his presence at major historical moments such as South Africa's democratic elections, the Rwandan genocide, the 9/11 terror attacks, and the October 7 massacre.

Nahari was known for his belief that "journalism is the first draft of history," a principle that guided his career. The corporation praised his noble manner of departure and his role as a "Mr. World" figure who made foreign news accessible to Israeli audiences.