Aluf Benn takes helm at Haaretz

Veteran reporter and columnist Aluf Benn has been named editor-in-chief of the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz.

Benn’s appointment by the newspaper’s board of directors was announced Monday, the same day he started in the job.

Benn, 46, has been at the left-leaning newspaper for the past 22 years. He has served as diplomatic correspondent, head of the news division and, for the past two years, political commentator and editor of the opinion pages. His articles and columns have been published in newspapers around the world.

In an Op-Ed published July 29 in The New York Times, Benn chided Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not using the spring and summer to work with President Obama to reignite the peace process, thus strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship. 

“I am thrilled to head the best team of editors, writers and designers in Israel, and lead it in fulfilling Haaretz’s public mission as a watchdog of Israeli democracy,” Benn was quoted as saying.