Veteran Israeli photographer David Rubinger, whose photo of IDF paratroopers at the Western Wall following the liberation of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War became the defining image of the conflict and the reunification of the city, died Thursday, aged 92, at his home. Rubinger was born in Austria in 1924 and immigrated to Israel in 1939. He began working as a photojournalist in 1951, first with the weekly news magazine Haolam Hazeh (This World) and later with the daily Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. For several decades, Rubinger was Time Life's photographer in Israel, and was one of the founding members of the Foreign Press Association in Israel. Rubinger took over 500,000 pictures during his career, telling the story of the State of Israel through his images. The late President Shimon Peres once called him "the photographer of a nation in the making." In 1997, Rubinger was awarded the Israel Prize in communications, becoming the first photographer to receive the award. "There are those who write the pages of history and those who create them with their lens," President Reuven Rivlin eulogized Rubinger. "David immortalized history in his photographs. I will continue to carry him in my memory, armed with his old and faithful camera. ... His unique image, armed with his trusty camera, will always remain in my heart." Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said, "David Rubinger was and will remain the greatest documentarian of Israeliness. He was there to commemorate glory and war, joy and pain. He shadowed the Knesset and Israeli politics for decades and I was fortunate to host a showing of his work in the Knesset. He has left us with hundreds of photos, capturing the story and essence of Israel and its leadership. My sincerest condolences to his family." The Culture and Sport Ministry "bows its head over the passing of Israel Prize laureate photographer David Rubinger. Through his lens, David captured the story of Israel. His immortal images will forever tell of our love for this country and of the great individuals who led us through the years," the ministry said in a statement.
Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev issued a statement saying, "David Rubinger knew how to capture defining human moments through the lens of the camera, in a way only someone with his sharp eyes could record. May his memory be blessed."
Rubinger will be laid to rest Friday morning at the Givat Shaul Cemetery in Jerusalem.
Celebrated Israeli photographer David Rubinger dies at 92
Rubinger's iconic photo of IDF paratroopers at the Western Wall in the 1967 Six-Day War became the defining image of the conflict and the reunification of Jerusalem • Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein: He captured the essence of Israel in his photos.
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