Yossi Ginossar, 58; Israeli Agent, Peace Talks Envoy
Yossi Ginossar, a top Israeli security agent who served as a back-channel envoy to the Palestinians in peace negotiations, often holding nighttime talks with Yasser Arafat, has died.
Ginossar, 58, had cancer and died late Monday at his home in Jerusalem.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Feb. 4, 2004 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday February 04, 2004 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 3 inches; 123 words Type of Material: Correction
Ginossar obituary -- The obituary in the Jan. 14 California section on Yossi Ginossar, a former official of Israel’s Shin Bet security service, contained several errors. It stated that he was convicted of covering up the fatal beatings of Palestinians. In fact, he was not convicted, though he was granted a pardon. The article stated that he was being investigated at the time of his death. In fact, an investigation had been terminated before he died, with no findings of criminal wrongdoing. The article also stated that he died at his home in Jerusalem. His home was in Kochav Yair. And the article stated he was buried in Jerusalem. He was buried in Kiryat Shaul, a cemetery on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
Ginossar, who was in Israel’s Shin Bet security service 19 years, forged close ties with Palestinian officials during peace negotiations in the 1990s.
A shadowy figure, he was the person Israeli leaders would call on after official negotiators went to bed. He often visited Arafat in late-night meetings to share the thoughts of Israel’s top leaders and to hear Arafat’s concerns, said Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians’ chief negotiator.
“Ginossar was an example of a human being devoted to peace and security for the two people,” Arafat said in a statement of condolence.
Erekat called the channel with Ginossar “very important” during the talks on interim peace deals reached in the 1990s.
“It enabled Palestinian decision-makers to know what Israel’s leaders knew,” he said. “I don’t know if we could have reached any agreement without these back channels.”
Ginossar served three former Israeli prime ministers: Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Ehud Barak.
Days after Rabin’s 1995 assassination, Ginossar helped arrange Arafat’s visit to Rabin’s widow, Leah. Ginossar was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 1946 and moved to Israel at 11. He joined the Shin Bet in 1968, eventually serving as head of the intelligence agency’s North American hub and its Investigations Bureau.
His work and business dealings put him at the center of several scandals.
He was one of 11 Shin Bet agents convicted of trying to cover up the fatal beatings of two Palestinians who hijacked a bus in 1984. Ginossar received a presidential pardon and later quit the service. He then became a successful businessman.
In 2001, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stopped using Ginossar as an envoy to the Palestinians because of his reputed business ties with the Palestinian Authority.
In 2002, one of Ginossar’s aides, Ozrad Lev, said he and Ginossar had helped set up and manage a Swiss bank account for an illegal $300-million slush fund for Arafat. The money, Lev said, was skimmed from official Palestinian Authority funds, allegations that led to an investigation still underway.
Ginossar is survived by his wife and three children. He is to be buried today in Jerusalem.
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