Abba Eban

Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.

Chronology: 1915-02-02 – 2002-11-17

Origins & Early Life

Abba Solomon Meir Eban ( ; Hebrew: אבא שלמה אבן [ˈ(ʔ)aba ˈ(ʔ)even]; born Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban; 2 February 1915 – 17 November 2002) was a South African-born Israeli diplomat and politician, and a scholar of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. During his career, he served as Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister of Israel. He was the second ambassador to the United States and the first Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations. He was also vice president of the United Nations General Assembly and president of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Eban famously remarked of the Palestinians, "The Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." == Early life, family and education == Eban was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 2 February 1915 to Lithuanian Jewish parents. His mother, Alida Sacks, was the aunt of Oliver Sacks, making the two of them first cousins. His father, Avram Solomon, died in London less than a week before Eban's first birthday. The family had travelled there seeking treatment for his undiagnosed illness. He recalled being sent to his grandfather's house as a child to study the Hebrew language, Talmud, and Biblical...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Source: Wikipedia