Abba Eban
Abba Eban grew up in Britain after being born in Cape Town. He studied languages at Cambridge and served in the British army during the Second World War, teaching Arabic in Jerusalem and working as a liaison with the Jewish Agency. He then became one of the agency's principal advocates at the United Nations during the debate over Palestine. 1
Eban combined Israel's Washington embassy with its permanent representation at the United Nations during the 1950s. He explained and defended Israeli policy through the Suez crisis while cultivating American audiences. Returning to Israel, he served as education minister and deputy prime minister. He was foreign minister from 1966 to 1974. He participated in diplomacy following the 1973 war and remained a Labor member of the Knesset until 1988. Alongside public service, he led the Weizmann Institute, wrote histories and books on diplomacy, and presented television documentaries about Jewish history. 1
Washington Appointments
- Israel — Ambassador, 1950–1959
Historic Moments
- 1956 October 31 — Washington opposes the Suez invasion. Dwight Eisenhower publicly opposes the British, French, and Israeli attack on Egypt. American pressure helps force a ceasefire, bringing a severe rupture within the Western alliance.
- 1956–1957 — Washington opposes the Suez invasion. The United States opposes the Israeli, British, and French attack on Egypt. American pressure for a ceasefire and withdrawal exposes a serious difference between Washington and Israel.
Sources
- Abba Eban
Biographical introduction to 29January1990 lecture
- Diplomatic Representation for State of Israel — incoming chiefs chronology
Actual archived HTML downloaded and gzip-decompressed. Page dated 8 October 2013 but includes Dermer credential row 3 December 2013. Records Appt. separately from Amb. E. and P.; keep both literal labels. Original https://2009-2017.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/94062.htm returned a Technical Difficulties page. Archive provides actual content.
- Former Ambassadors to the U.S.
Archived official roster, 1948–2006. It dates Shoval’s second term to 1998–2000 and Ivry’s term to 2000–2002, corroborated by the State Protocol appointment dated 18 January 2000. The supplemental JVL summary differs on this transition.
- Abba Eban
The official-posts table dates his simultaneous Washington ambassadorship and permanent UN representation to 1950–1959.
Biography checked 2026-10-28.
Cite or Reuse This Biography
Abba Eban. Chanceries Diplopedia. Biography reviewed 2026-10-28. Record f90c7a8a566217fe. https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/abba-eban-2599c91cea/
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