Israeli Arab Affairs Commentator Zvi Yehezkel Marks 56 with Unique Career Highlights

Zvi Yehezkel, a prominent Israeli commentator on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, celebrated his 56th birthday on August 17. Known for his deep expertise, Yehezkel's path to television was unconventional, beginning with seven years as a security guard after his military service in the Moran unit and training with the Shin Bet. He even served briefly as a bodyguard for Shimon Peres following Yitzhak Rabin's assassination.

A pivotal moment for Yehezkel was witnessing Rabin shake hands with Yasser Arafat during the 1993 Oslo Accords signing, which sparked his interest in Islam and the Arab world. To deepen his understanding, he lived for about six months in Hebron and later Jenin, immersing himself in the language and culture beyond academic study.

His journalism career started unexpectedly when Galei Tzahal radio sought a civilian correspondent for the Palestinian territories, a role Yehezkel took on after a lecturer recommended him. Among his notable projects was "Undercover Identity," where he adopted the persona of Sheikh Khaled Abu Salem (Abu Hamza) to infiltrate Muslim Brotherhood hubs across Europe and the US.

Yehezkel's encounters with Palestinians, especially with Zakaria Zubeidi in Jenin, influenced his spiritual journey, leading him and his wife, Meital Cohen, to become religiously observant in 2008. They now live in Bat Ayin in the Gush Etzion bloc and raise eight children.

In 2024, Yehezkel expanded into writing, publishing a memoir titled "I Told You: This Is Jihad," covering three decades of coverage from Oslo to October 7, alongside a children's book about the events leading to October 7. After over 20 years with Channel 13 News, he left in April 2024 to join i24NEWS as a senior commentator and host of "The Arabists," a program analyzing Middle Eastern affairs.