Former Israel Space Agency Chief Dies of Wounds Sustained During Arab Riots
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by JNS.org
A Palestinian rioter hurls stones at Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Hebron, Feb. 6, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Mussa Qawasma.
JNS.org – Avi Har-Even, former director-general of the Israel Space Agency, died on Sunday from complications related to injuries he suffered during the riots that rocked the country last month.
Har-Even, 84, was staying with his wife at the Effendi Hotel in Akko when Arab rioters set fire to it on May 11. Though his wife was saved, Har-Even suffered serious burns and smoke inhalation. He was transferred to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center for treatment, where he finally succumbed to his wounds.
Har-Even served many roles within Israel’s aerospace industry during the 1980s and 1990s. He led the Israel Space Agency from 1995 to 2004. Although the agency had a tiny budget, Har-Even developed it by partnering with space agencies from other countries, including the United States, France, Germany and India.
“He was a key figure in advancing the field of space in Israel, both in industry and in the defense system,” said current ISA Director-General Avi Blasberger.
