Israel Hayom columnist Dr. Dror Eydar is among the recipients of the 2014 Israel's Media Watch award for media criticism. Eydar, who has a doctorate in Hebrew literature and is an expert on Jewish thought, has been a contributing writer on Israel Hayom for the past seven years. Israel's Media Watch said Eydar was chosen because his work "was particularly courageous and provided valuable and significant contribution to media criticism by encouraging journalistic pluralism." IMW said Eydar engaged in "unabashed" commentary on "the media, the government, the economy and politics" and that his writing "reflects a variety of opinions that stand out in the Israeli media landscape, a fact that has often resulted in heavy criticism. He has no qualms about waging attacks on important or influential figures in Israeli society or against the media over its post-Zionist tendencies, which he believes too often create false accusations against Israel." Dr. Guy Bechor, who heads the Middle East Division at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya's Lauder School of Government, was also named a recipient owing to his "discerning qualities, his eloquent writing and the courage he has put on display by expressing nonconforming views." Eydar took to Facebook to thank his many well-wishers. "I never thought I would become a media figure; I had this dream of writing treatises on literature and culture, on the hidden aspects of this world. But flaring tempers on current events and the distorted coverage in the Israeli media have led me to where others have seldom visited. Over the years, I have come to realize that my words can channel the thoughts of many Israelis whose voice was hijacked and silenced despite being in the majority. ... It is an honor to share this prize with Dr. Guy Bechor." The prize ceremony will be held on Feb. 16 at Beit Sokolov in Tel Aviv. The prize is worth 5,000 shekels (about $1,400).
