Journalist Israel Segal dies at 63

Israel Segal, one of Israel's leading journalists and a renowned author, died Thursday from heart failure at the age of 63.

Segal suffered a massive coronary six months ago, while driving his car. He blacked out, crashed into a guard-rail on the Ayalon highway and was hospitalized in critical condition.

A month after his accident he was able to leave the hospital and recuperate at his home. He was hospitalized again earlier this week, but his condition deteriorated. On Thursday morning he passed away.

Segal began his journalistic career at Haolam Haze magazine in his twenties. He later joined the religious beat at Israel Radio and went on to anchor many of the leading news shows on Israeli television.

After leaving the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, he joined Channel 2's Reshet network, where he served both as an editor and an anchor.

Segal was also the author of five books. In 2004 he published his last semi-autobiographical novel, 'My brother's Keeper', which became a best-seller.

"Israel will always be remembered as one of the most influential journalists of the past three decades," David Gilboa, who worked with Segal in the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, told Ynet.

"This is tremendous loss. He was a creative, curious soul and he helped shape many of the genres we see in television today, especially in the news," he added.

Yochanan Zangen, director-general of the Reshet network, said, "Israel was a pillar of Israeli journalism. Anyone who ever met him was profoundly influenced by him… Reshet is greatly saddened by his death and we send his family our deepest condolences."

Israel Segal is survived by his wife and two children. His funeral service will take place on Friday, at Kibbutz Maale Hachamisha.

Keren Natanzon contributed to this report