Ofer Shelach

Ofer Shelach was born in 1960 in Kiryat Bialik

Shelah was born in Kiryat Bialik. His father was the economist, businessman and historian Hezi Shelah. He attended Ironi Yud Daled High School in Tel Aviv.

He served in the Paratroopers as a platoon leader and later fought in the reserves, where he lost an eye in Lebanon in 1983. He then earned a BA in economics and English literature at Tel Aviv University. He completed an MA in literature and creative writing at New York University.

Shelah began in journalism in 1988 at Maariv, moved to Yedioth Ahronoth in 2000 and returned to Maariv in 2007. He was a sports commentator and co-hosted the Channel 10 program Shishi with Raviv Drucker. He wrote several books, including Boomerang with Drucker, which won the Chechik Prize.

Before the 2013 elections he joined Yesh Atid in sixth place on its list and entered the Knesset as the party won 19 seats. He sat on the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and in 2020 was elected head of the State Audit Committee. He also chaired a special Knesset committee on the COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2020 he left Yesh Atid and founded the Tnufa party, which withdrew from the race on 4 February 2021. He then returned to journalism and NBA broadcasts. He lives in Moshav Ginaton and is a widower with 2 children.