Tributes have been paid to Israeli author Amos Oz after his death from cancer at the age of 79.
His daughter, Fania Oz-Salzberger, announced her father’s death on Twitter.
My beloved father, Amos Oz, a wonderful family man, an author, a man of peace and moderation, died today peacefully after a short battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his lovers and knew it to the end. May his good legacy continue to amend the world.
— Fania Oz-Salzberger פניה עוז-זלצברגר (@faniaoz) December 28, 2018
Oz was known worldwide for a collection of novels, essays, and a well-received memoir.
His works chronicled over half a century of life in Israel, from his childhood in Jerusalem through the country’s transformation into a modern nation.
He was an outspoken advocate of seeking peace with the Palestinians.
In a 1998 interview, he lamented the deep divisions in Israeli society — a prescient observation that remains true to today.
A story of love and light and now great darkness
“We have not yet established the rules of the game in 50 years,” he said. “You could hardly get two Israelis to agree on the kind of Israel they want.”
Oz won numerous prizes, including the Israel Prize, the country’s top civilian recognition, and Germany’s Goethe Award. He also was a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in literature.
His works included Black Box, In The Land Of Israel and A Tale Of Love And Darkness, a 2002 memoir that was adapted into a film starring Natalie Portman.
“A story of love and light and now great darkness,” Israeli President Reuven Rivlin wrote on Twitter.
“We are mourning the passing of Amos Oz, a wonderful Israeli poet and novelist, a towering voice for peace,” wrote the European Union’s delegation to Israel. “May his memory be a blessing.”
