Israel mourns: Professor Arnon Sofer has passed away
Professor Arnon Sofer, a founder of the University of Haifa and the architect of the Gaza disengagement plan, has passed away at 90 following a battle with Parkinson's disease. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav paid tribute to the renowned scholar.
Professor Arnon Sofer passed away today, Friday, at the age of 90. Sofer had suffered from Parkinson's disease for a decade. He is survived by his wife Miriam, four children, and eight grandchildren. Sofer was a renowned professor of geography and environmental sciences at the University of Haifa and one of Israel’s foremost experts in geostrategy, demography, and water policy.
He was known for his controversial predictions regarding Israel's demographic future and national borders, and he was a key architect of the disengagement concept from the Gaza Strip based on demographic considerations.
"Haifa says goodbye to one of its prominent intellectuals and researchers, Professor Arnon Sofer, a beloved figure of the city, who passed away and will be laid to rest on Sunday in the city he loved so much," eulogized Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav.
Yahav added: "Arnon was a man of vast knowledge, sharp thought, and a clear, distinct voice. A renowned geographer and demographer, one of the founders of the University of Haifa, he was synonymous with the institution and the city for decades."
Yahav further stated:
"Arnon knew Haifa deeply; he researched it, taught in it, advised its mayors, and contributed greatly to the thinking about its future. But beyond the titles and research, Arnon was a man who cared—about the city, the country, and Israeli society. He was never afraid to state his opinion, even when it was inconvenient or unpopular, and he always did so out of deep knowledge, experience, and responsibility."
