Veteran Israeli Broadcaster Chaim Yavin Dies at 93

Chaim Yavin, a pioneering Israeli journalist and recipient of the Israel Prize for communication, passed away at the age of 93. Born Heinz Kluger in Germany in 1932, he immigrated to Israel with his family at age one and grew up in Kiryat Binyamin, later part of Kiryat Ata. Yavin began his media career in 1956 as a news and entertainment presenter for Kol Israel while studying literature at the Hebrew University.

In 1962, he launched broadcasts for Galei Kol, which became Reshet Bet, producing and editing various programs. Yavin was also part of the founding team of Israeli television and in 1968 presented the first edition of "Mabat," covering events such as the El Al plane hijacking to Algeria. He served as the main anchor of "Mabat" for nearly 40 years and held roles including news editor, investigative program host, news department director, and Israeli Television director.

One of Yavin's most notable broadcasts was the 1977 Knesset election coverage, where he coined the term "Mahapach" (upheaval) to describe the political shift when Menachem Begin became prime minister. Awarded the Israel Prize in 1997, Yavin briefly moved to Channel 2 before returning to "Mabat" until 2008. In 2005, he directed the documentary series "Land of the Settlers" on Channel 2, which sparked controversy for its portrayal of settlers; Yavin defended the program's lack of balance as a documentary.

In 2016, Yavin caused public uproar with comments on sexual harassment in an interview, suggesting past behavior was more "free" and less accusatory. Following this, several women accused him of sexual harassment, which he denied. Yavin is survived by his wife and four children.