13 Facts About Ron Ben-Yishai

Ron Ben-Yishai graduated from the military boarding school near the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa in 1961.

Ron Ben-Yishai joined the Israel Defense Forces and served in the Paratroopers Brigade and the Golani Brigade.

Ron Ben-Yishai finished an infantry officers course and platoon commanders course, in addition to several command courses.

Ron Ben-Yishai served in paratroopers field units as a reservist.

Ron Ben-Yishai covered the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and travelled to Portugal to make a documentary about the Marranos or secret Jews.

Ron Ben-Yishai was the first journalist to enter the camps after the Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Ron Ben-Yishai edited and hosted, with Ram Evron, a talk show called Ze HaZman on the Israeli Television from 1985 to 1987.

In 2002, he was sued by Mordechai Vanunu, who claimed that Ron Ben-Yishai wrote in 1999 that Vanunu gave the Hamas know-how on bomb-making while he was in prison.

Ron Ben-Yishai said he was quoting the head of the Shin Bet, Ami Ayalon, and was to enjoy the good faith and truth defenses.

Ron Ben-Yishai is divorced with three children and lives in Tel Aviv.

Ron Ben-Yishai speaks Hebrew, English and German, and partly Arabic and French.

Ron Ben-Yishai is a lecturer on media and journalism at Tel Aviv University.

Ron Ben-Yishai won the Shani Award for "Best report from the Battlefield" in 1968, the CEO of Israel Broadcasting Authority Award in 1969, the Kinor David Award for Best Documentary in 1978 and Journalist of the year by the Israeli newspaper editors in 1989.