Ben-Dror Yemini

Jurist, Researcher, Journalist, Lecturer,  and writes a regular column for Yedioth Ahronoth. In recent years he has published a series of comparative studies on the Israeli-Arab conflict, and by the end of 2014, he has published the book “The Lies Industry,” which reached number one on the bestseller list.  Yemini was born in 1954 and was raised in Givat Amal, Tel Aviv. He studied history and law at Tel Aviv University and After that, he spent a few years practicing law. He was appointed an advisor to the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and served as the ministry’s spokesman. He then turned to a Journalistic career. Yemini made his debut in the press in Ma’ariv, where he wrote a weekly political column in the weekend magazine. In 2003 he became the editor of the opinion section of the newspaper and in the years 2009-2014, he wrote a blog on the newspaper’s website. Today he writes for Yedioth Ahronoth and publishes articles in English in the “Times of Israel”. Yemini is a political activist and publicist with solid and unique opinions. In 1986 he published his book “Political Punch”. In 1989 he was the first editor of the social journal “The Hammer” and was a member of T.a.m.i, a Traditional Sephardic party that worked for equal opportunities. Over the years he served as the head of the program to train social activists at the Tel Aviv University. In the 2012 elections, Yemini was asked by Tzipi Livni to join her party, but he decided to turn down her proposal in order to freely pursuing his research and keep on writing. His best-known book is “The Lies Industry” (2014), which deals with the negative attitude of the Academy and the Israeli and International Media towards Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the biased coverage it receives in the press. The book presents studies that refute Israel’s harsh claims on this level. He calls the claims against Israel “politically correct anti-Semitism.” Many people reject Yemini’s claims and ask him to define his political views. Yemini claims that each side has good arguments and that every issue must be considered on its merits, based on facts and systematic research. In the past, Yemini identified himself several times as a Zionist Leftist. Yemini also expressed his opinion on social issues such as infiltrators from Africa, the absorption of Ethiopian Jews in Israel and the Tents-protest. In 2003 he was awarded The Israeli prize for the Media Criticism by the IMW (Israel’s Media Watch) for his achievements.

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