Born on April 28, 1933 in Warsaw, Poland, Israel Shahak grew in an orthodox jewish family, in 1943 he is deported to Poniatowo concentration camp, he escapes with his mother but his father dies in the camp, rearrested again he is sent to Bergen-Belsen extermination camp, the 12 years old Israel and his mother immigrated to Palestine after the liberation of the camps in 1945, in 1961 he got his doctorate in chemistry and began a carrier of professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (from 1963 to 1981) in 1970 he became chairman of the Israeli Human and Civil Rights League and spent the rest of his life advocating equality and civil rights and fighting chauvinism and racism in Israel. Shahak´s writings exposed and criticized the Israeli new aim and policy as it is expressed since 1967, and provides an invaluable insight into Israeli strategy and a judicious view of the Israeli society.

Israel Shahak died on July 2, 2001, aged 68, from complications caused by diabetes.