Avi Issacharoff

Avi Issacharoff (Hebrew: אבי יששכרוף; born 1973) is an Israeli journalist, known for his focus on Palestinian affairs.^[1] He is a Middle East commentator for The Times of Israel and its sister news outlet Walla!,^[2] and the Palestinian and Arab Affairs Correspondent for Haaretz. Issacharoff is known as one of the creators of the TV-series Fauda.

Avi Issacharoff
אבי יששכרוף
Issacharoff in 2018
Born	1973 (age 51–52) Jerusalem, Israel
Nationality	Israeli
Education	Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Tel Aviv University
Occupation(s)	Journalist, Screenwriter
Known for	Palestinian Affairs, Fauda
Partner	Merav
Children	1

Early life and education

Issacharoff was born in Jerusalem to a seventh generation Bukharian Jewish family. His ancestors were among the first inhabitants of Jerusalem's Bukharim Quarter. He grew up in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem and attended a Kurdish-Jewish synagogue, where he also picked up Arabic. He went on to become fluent in the language. He studied at Hebrew University High School.^[3]

During his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he served in the Duvdevan Unit, having been placed there due to his knowledge of Arabic.^[4][5]

He is a graduate of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and holds an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and Literature from Tel Aviv University.^[5] He has a daughter, and is in a relationship with his partner Merav.

Media career

Issacharoff was Middle Eastern Affairs Correspondent for Israel Radio. In 2004, Issacharoff co-wrote with Amos Harel, The Seventh War: How we won and why we lost the war with the Palestinians, a book about the Second Intifada, winner of the 2005 Tshetshik Prize from the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies. In 2008, they wrote a second book, 34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah and the War in Lebanon, about the 2006 Lebanon War, winner of the 2009 Chechic Award.^[5]

From 2005 until 2012, he was the Palestinian and Arab affairs correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.^[5] He is a former correspondent with Israel Radio where he won the 2002 "Best Reporter" award for his coverage of the Second Intifada.^[2][5] He has written and directed short documentary films broadcast on television in Israel.^[2]

In 2014, Issacharoff and a cameraman were attacked and beaten by "masked Palestinian rioters" while covering a violent protest demonstration in Beitunia. According to Issacharoff's account, the two were set upon after a Palestinian demonstrator who accused them of being Israeli intelligence agents.^[6][7]

He is the co-author of the Israeli television series Fauda, winner in 2016 of 6 Ophir Awards and in 2018 of another 11 Ophir Awards, granted by the Israeli Academy of Film and Television.^[8][9] Faraway Road Productions, which produces Fauda, was also co-founded by Issacharoff and Lior Raz, then was acquired by Candle Media in early 2022, with the continued involvement of both partners.^[10][11]

Published works

• The Seventh War: How we won and why we lost the war with the Palestinians. with Amos Harel. 2004 (Winner of the 2005 Chechic award for outstanding security research.)^[5] It was translated into French and Arabic.^[2][12]
• 34 Days: Israel, Hezbollah and the War in Lebanon. With Amos Harel. Hebrew edition 2006. English Edition 2008 by Palgrave-Macmillan Books. (Winner of the 2009 Chechic award for outstanding security research.)^[2][5]