News 12's military commentator, Roni Daniel, passed away at the age of 73 following a heart attack.
Daniel has been a reporter and commentator on military and security affairs for the news company since its founding in 1993.
He left behind his wife Shlomit, children and grandchildren.
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A statement from News 12 reads: "The news company mourns the death of our friend, military commentator Roni Daniel, who passed away today at the age of 73. Roni, born in 1947, was the news company's military and security affairs commentator since its founding in 1993, may his memory be blessed.".
Roni Daniel was born in Baghdad and immigrated to Israel at the age of 3 with his mother, lived on Kibbutz Maoz Haim and enlisted to serve in Nahal. Daniel was a fighter and completed an officer's course. During the Six-Day War, he fought in the Battle of Umm Kaftef on the Egyptian front, was wounded by shrapnel but returned to the front.
Daniel also fought in the War of Attrition. In reserve service, he served as a battalion commander and sergeant major.
He began his journalistic career in 1971 as a transportation and agriculture correspondent for Kol Yisrael. He was appointed military correspondent and later served as head of the news division in Tel Aviv and also worked for Galei Tzahal.
Since 1993, as mentioned, he has been the military and security correspondent for Channel 12 News.
Daniel was very aware of his rough image, and in an interview with Mako's weekend magazine in 2012, he referred to the love of the spectators: "The street loves me, so to speak. There's this kind of sympathy for me. They tell me - 'If you run, we'll choose you,' and stuff like that. And I say thank you, but I'm not running anywhere. It's pleasant but also embarrassing. People aren't willing to take money from me in the store today, but I insist on paying. They come to me to take pictures with me, to ask for an autograph. Wow, these are my spectators, the most important people in the world to me, and they're warm and wonderful people.".
News 12 political commentator Amit Segal paid tribute to his colleague. "If I had to sum up Roni Daniel, this would be the summary: he was the man who wanted not to break down.
""He had a sense of justice and he had a healthy Zionism, and he was the only commentator I knew who also plowed fields and led soldiers into battle and broadcast basketball games. I already miss you. I will not forget you, Ronnie.".
Journalist Yair Sharki eulogized: "Everyone will write about Roni Daniel, the senior journalist and commentator, but for me he is like an uncle who treated me with admiration from the first moment and with a friendship that developed into long phone conversations about the army and Judaism and bereavement, teasing (and advice) about relationships, recipes (yes yes), celebrity gossip, and also regular jokes. Almost always, I miss him over a rolled cigarette.".
MK Yuval Steinitz of the Likud paid tribute: "Shocked by the untimely passing of the veteran and respected military commentator Roni Daniel, and shares in the heavy mourning of his family and friends.".
MK Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionist faction responded: "Congratulations to the true judge. A Zionist patriot. Very sad. Condolences to his family.".
Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party, Avigdor Lieberman: "Great pain at the news of Roni Daniel's untimely passing. Roni was a man of the land, a man whose words and heart were equal, and from my close acquaintance with him, everything he did was out of sincere love for the homeland. I strengthen his family and send my sincere condolences. May his memory be blessed.".
The chairman of the Religious Zionism party, MK Bezalel Smotrich, responded: "Congratulations to the true judge. A Zionist patriot. Very sad. Condolences to his family.".
MK Amichai Shikli: "I did not have the privilege of meeting Roni Daniel personally, but my impression of the man and his actions behind the scenes is that of a man who loved people and loved Israel with all his heart and soul. May his memory be blessed.".
Editor of 'Israel Hayom', Boaz Bismuth: "In his love of the country and his love of the profession, Roni was without rivals. I was privileged to sit next to him in Ulpan Shishi and feel it. I salute you, Roni. We will all miss you.".
