| Boaz Bismuth | |
| Office1: | Faction represented in the Knesset |
| Suboffice1: | Likud |
| Subterm1: | 2022– |
| Birth Date: | 25 November 1964 |
| Birth Place: | Rehovot, Israel |
| Alma Mater: | Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan |
| Occupation: | Journalist, columnist and politician |
| Native Name Lang: | he |
Boaz Bismuth (pronounced as /he/, born 25 November 1964[1]) is a member of the Israeli Knesset, a journalist and columnist who served as editor-in-chief of Israel Hayom between April 2017 and January 2022, and Israeli Ambassador to Mauritania between 2004 and 2008.
Bismuth was born in Rehovot to Tunisian Jews, he studied in a Catholic elementary school in Jaffa, and in a high school owned by the Church of Scotland. Bismuth began his journalistic career in 1983, as a sports correspondent for Maariv[2] until 1988, when he became its correspondent in Paris.[3] Bismuth also taught journalism at the Moshe Sharret School in Paris.
During his journalistic career, Bismuth acquired a Bachelor's Degree in political science from Bar-Ilan University in 1984, and a Master's Degree from Sorbonne University in 1988.[2] Additionally, he acquired a degree in African studies,[4] specializing in cooperation with African countries in 1990. He also studied at the Centre d'Etudes Diplomatiques et Stratégiques.[5]
In 1990, Bismuth began to work for Yedioth Ahronoth,[2] and was its correspondent in Paris between 1990 and 2004,[6] using his French passport to enter countries otherwise closed to Israeli nationals.
During this period, Bismuth reported from several Arab countries. In April 2004, Bismuth was appointed Israeli Ambassador to Mauritania[7] by Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom, where he served between July 2004 and August 2008. During his tenure, Mauritania underwent several coups, and in 2008 the Israeli Embassy in Nouakchott was attacked by Al-Qaeda,[8] who stated that Bismuth was the target of the attack.
From 2008 to April 2017, Bismuth served as the foreign affairs editor and correspondent for Israel Hayom,[9] where on 30 April 2017 he replaced Amos Regev as the editor-in-chief.[10] In 2020 he became a commentator for HaHadashot 12, and in January 2022 he was removed from his position as editor-in-chief.[11] [12] On 25 July 2022, Bismuth announced that he would seek election to the Knesset as a member of the Likud, participating in Party list primaries to be held by the party ahead of an upcoming legislative election.[13] Bismuth won the 19th spot on the party's electoral list,[14] and was elected as it won 32 seats in the election.[15]
On October 16, 2023, during the Israel–Hamas war Bismuth wrote on X (translated):
"It must not be forgotten that even the "innocent citizens" - the cruel and monstrous people from Gaza took an active part in the pogrom in the Israeli settlements, in the systematic murder of Jews and the shedding of their blood, in the kidnapping of children, old people, and mothers, and in tying up babies and burning them alive! One mustn't pity the cruel, there is no place for any humanitarian gesture - the memory of Amalek must be erased!"[16]At the end of December 2023, South Africa brought charges of "genocide" against Israel before the International Court of Justice. In the 84-page application[16], Bismuth's statement, among other ones, is seen as alleged evidence of Israeli "genocidal intentions against the Palestinian people".
Bismuth is married to his third wife, Ruth, a formerly-Catholic convert to Judaism from France. He has four children and resides in Tel Aviv.[2]