Yossi Melman: Difference between revisions

'''Yossi Melman''' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: יוסי מלמן, born December 27, 1950) is an Israeli writer and journalist. He was an intelligence and strategic affairs correspondent for the ''[[Haaretz]]'' newspaper, and in 2013 he joined ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'' and its Hebrew sister paper ''[[Maariv]]'' in a similar, more analytical role covering also military issues. In 2019 he returned to ''Haaretz''.<ref>[https://twitter.com/avischarf/status/1202241877073956884 tweetTweet] by the paper's editor.</ref>

Yosef "Yossi" Melman was born in Poland. The family immigrated to Israel in 1957, when he was six years old.<ref>[http://www.booknotes.org/Watch/13424-1/Dan+Raviv.aspx ''Booknotes'' interview] with Melman and Dan Raviv on ''Every Spy a Prince'', August 5, 1990]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111115121833/http://www.booknotes.org/Watch/13424-1/Dan+Raviv.aspx |date=November 15, 2011 }}</ref> He graduated from [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] and was a [[Nieman Fellow]] at [[Harvard University]]. From 1969 he served for three years with "Shaked", a reconnaissance and Special Forces unit in the [[Israel Defense Forces]].

Since 1974, Melman has worked in various capacities in the Israeli media. He has worked for 27 years in the Israeli ''[[Haaretz]]'' daily as a senior correspondent on national security, intelligence and strategic issues. Melman was involved in several legal and public battles to lift gag orders issued by Israeli courts and censors.

He wrote ten10 [[non-fiction]] books on [[Israeli Intelligence Community]], security, terrorism and nuclear issues which were published in more than 40 countries in 15 languages. One of his books, "''[[Every Spy a Prince]]''", co-authored with former [[CBS News]] reporter [[Dan Raviv]], was a ''[[New York Times]]'' best-seller for 12 weeks. HeMelman also wrote a play in Hebrew, ''"The Good Son"'', staged by the Tel Aviv [[Cameri Theater]] in 2006.

In 2016 he was a consultant and protagonist in [[Alex Gibney]]'s documentary "''[[Zero Days]]''", which won the [[Peabody Award]].

In 2017 he created with director Duki Dror a 4 four-part TV documentary called "''The Mossad Cover Story"''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKV_MUi21uo partPart one] of the series].</ref>

The series gotreceived good reviews byin the Israeli media.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/television/.premium-1.4180627 articleArticle in Haaretz (in Hebrew).]</ref> In 2019, it was aired by Netflix under the title "''Inside The Mossad"''.

Melman is an avid runner and triathlete who ran 35 [[marathon]]s in Europe and the US, six [[ultramarathon]]s of 50 to 75&nbsp;km and four [[Ironman Triathlon]]s. He is the initiator and founder of "Israman" (Israel's Ironman). In 2009, eighty days after suffering a [[heart attack]], he returned to run a full marathon. One of his books in Hebrew is called "Autobiography of Running". In December 2016 he ran 66&nbsp;km to mark his 66th birthday.<ref>Melman, Yossi Melman(January 5, 2017), [http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Run-for-a-lifetime-477533 "Run for a lifetime"], ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'', January 5, 2017.</ref>

In 2020, US President [[Donald Trump]] retweeted Melman's account of the killing of [[Mohsen Fakhrizadeh]], head of the [[nuclear program of Iran]].<ref name="cnn">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/27/middleeast/iran-top-nuclear-scientist-killed-intl/index.html|title=Iran's top nuclear scientist killed in apparent assassination, state media reports|first=Tamara|author= Qiblawi, Tamara, Nick Paton Walsh, Ramin Mostaghim, Mostafa Salem and Ivana Kottasová|last=CNN|website=CNN|access-date=27 November 27, 2020|archive-date=27 November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127190923/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/27/middleeast/iran-top-nuclear-scientist-killed-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Melman has stated that he considers himself a left-wing Israeli, and that Israel must abandon the occupied territories to live in peace with a [[Palestinian state]]. However, he has also said that the Palestinians should not be given the [[Palestinian right of return|right of return]], as that would defeat the idea of a [[two-state solution]] in Israeli minds.<ref>"Melman, Yossi (September 20, 2002), [https://www.theguardian.com/israel/comment/0,10551,795574,00.html "We cannot have them back]"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', September 20, 2002. Retrieved November 2, 2006.</ref>

Melman was described by [[WikiLeaks]] in February 2012 as an "information mule" who had "channeled tips to the Mossad", assertions that were contested by Melman in his review of his relationship with [[Julian Assange]], whom he believes has made anti-Semitic statements.<ref name="Tab 28Feb2012">{{cite journal |url=http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/92332/assanges-chutzpah/ |title=Assange's Chutzpah |authorfirst=Yossi |last=Melman |date=28 February 28, 2012 |journal=[[Tablet Magazine]] |accessdate=21 March 21, 2012}}</ref>

*''The Master Terrorist: The True Story of Abu-Nidal'', translated by Shmuel Himelstein. ([[Adama Books]], 1986), {{ISBN|0-915361-52-3}}

*''The Imperfect Spies: The History of Israeli Intelligence''. ([[Sidgwick & Jackson]], 1989), ASIN B0007BR81Q

*''Behind the Uprising : Israelis, Jordanians, and Palestinians'', written with [[Dan Raviv]]. ([[Greenwood Press]], 1989), {{ISBN|0-313-26787-1}}

*''The New Israelis: An Intimate View of a Changing People''. ([[Carol Publishing Corporation]], 1992), {{ISBN|1-55972-129-4}}

*''Friends in Deed: Inside the U.S.-Israel Alliance'', written with Dan Raviv. ([[Hachette Books#Hyperion Books|Hyperion Books]], 1994) {{ISBN|0-7868-6006-5}}

*''[[Every Spy a Prince: The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community]]'', written with Dan Raviv. ([[Houghton Mifflin]], 1990) {{ISBN|0-395-47102-8}}

*''[[Spies Against Armageddon: Inside Israel's Secret Wars]]'', written with Dan Raviv. (Levant Books, 2012), {{ISBN|978-0985437817}}

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