Abba Eban
Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban entered the world on the 2nd of February 1915 in Cape Town, South Africa. His parents were Lithuanian Jewish immigrants seeking a better life for their family. The family moved to London shortly after his birth when his father fell ill with an undiagnosed condition. Avram Solomon died less than seven days before Aubrey turned one year old. This early loss shaped the young boy's upbringing significantly.
Eban spent part of his childhood living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He attended St Olave's Grammar School located in Southwark, London. At Queens' College, Cambridge, he pursued Classics and Oriental languages with intense focus. He achieved a triple first degree studying Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian simultaneously. This academic feat was exceptionally rare at the time.
He mastered ten languages throughout his lifetime. Eban enjoyed translating newspaper articles into Ancient Greek as a personal pastime. At age 23, he became a Fellow of Pembroke College from 1938 until 1939. His academic trajectory pointed toward a distinguished career in scholarship and public service.
World War II changed the course of Eban's professional path dramatically. He served in the British Army stationed in Egypt and Mandate Palestine during the conflict. An intelligence officer based in Jerusalem coordinated volunteers ready to resist any potential German invasion. He acted as a liaison officer for the Allies working closely with the Jewish Yishuv community.
After the war ended, he continued his work helping establish the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies. The institution originally operated out of Jerusalem before moving to Shemlan near Beirut. During this period, colleagues knew him by the name Aubrey Evans rather than Abba. He translated Tawfiq al-Hakim's novel Maze of Justice from Arabic into English in 1947.
The translation appeared through Harvill Press in London that same year. It later received reissues under different titles including an edition published by Saqi Books. This literary work demonstrated his deep understanding of Arabic culture beyond mere linguistic capability. His background allowed him to bridge gaps between opposing communities effectively.
Eban moved back to London briefly to work within the Jewish Agency Information Department. From there he was posted to New York where the United Nations General Assembly debated the Palestine Question. In 1947, he became a liaison officer to the UN Special Committee on Palestine. He successfully secured approval for partitioning Palestine into Jewish and Arab segments via Resolution 181.
During this critical diplomatic phase, he changed his name from Aubrey to Abba. The Hebrew word means Father and reflected his commitment to the emerging state. July 1948 brought intense conflict during the Arab-Israeli War when the Arab Higher Committee filed complaints against Palestinian Jews. They accused groups like the Haganah of engaging in bacteriological warfare.
Eban vehemently denied these accusations while blocking further investigations into the claims. He argued that Arab states were engaging in antisemitic incitement instead. These specific allegations regarding water wells remained unproven until Operation Cast Thy Bread surfaced in 2022. His tenure at the United Nations continued over the following decade as ambassador to the United States from 1950 through 1959.
From 1966 to 1974 Eban served as Israel's foreign minister under Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir. He defended the nation's reputation after the Six-Day War began on the 5th of June 1967. In a speech to the UN General Assembly he stated Egyptian forces moved by air and land against Israel's western coast and southern territory. He claimed Israel acted only in response to an imminent threat facing its borders.
Despite this defensive posture, he supported trading occupied territories for peace agreements. During the war Avraham Harman cabled Washington D.C. to Tel Aviv reporting American pilots knew the ship was American before attacking it. The USS Liberty incident caused significant tension between allies three days later when Harman repeated warnings about White House anger.
Eban played a key role shaping UN Security Council Resolution 242 in 1967 and Resolution 338 in 1973. He received Pope Paul VI during official visits in 1969. His famous quote about Arabs missing opportunities for peace emerged after Geneva talks concluded in December 1973. Critics sometimes noted his silence regarding internal Israeli political debates.
While serving as deputy prime minister until 1966, Eban also held the presidency of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot. King Hussein of Jordan visited the institute shortly before Eban took on that leadership role. He lost his Knesset seat in 1988 following splits within the Labour Party after thirty years of service.
He devoted his remaining life to writing and teaching at major universities including Princeton and Columbia. Television documentaries like Heritage: Civilization and the Jews aired on PBS with him as host in 1984. Another series titled Israel A Nation Is Born appeared in 1992 followed by On The Brink Of Peace in 1997.
His book Diplomacy For The Next Century contained sharp critiques of Benjamin Netanyahu's understanding of Middle East issues. Eban argued that only Netanyahu failed to grasp the centrality of the Palestine problem. These writings reflected decades of diplomatic experience translated into academic analysis for future generations.
In 2001 Eban received the Israel Prize recognizing lifetime achievement and special contributions to society. This award honored his extensive work across multiple fields including diplomacy education and scholarship. He died on the 17th of November 2002 at age eighty-seven. His burial took place in Kfar Shmaryahu located north of Tel Aviv.
Eban married Shoshana Suzy Ambache who was sister of Aura Herzog. They raised two children together during their marriage. Suzy passed away in 2011 after surviving her husband by nine years. Their son Eli became a clarinetist teaching music at Indiana University.
Eli has two children named Yael and Omri carrying forward the family legacy. Eban's personal life remained relatively private compared to his public prominence. Awards like the Israel Prize cemented his status as a national figure. His death marked the end of an era for Israeli foreign policy experts.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When and where was Abba Eban born?
Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban entered the world on the 2nd of February 1915 in Cape Town, South Africa. His parents were Lithuanian Jewish immigrants seeking a better life for their family.
What languages did Abba Eban master during his lifetime?
He mastered ten languages throughout his lifetime including Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian which he studied simultaneously at Queens' College Cambridge. He also enjoyed translating newspaper articles into Ancient Greek as a personal pastime.
Why did Abba Eban change his name from Aubrey to Abba?
During this critical diplomatic phase he changed his name from Aubrey to Abba because the Hebrew word means Father and reflected his commitment to the emerging state. This occurred while he served as a liaison officer to the UN Special Committee on Palestine in 1947.
How long did Abba Eban serve as Israel's foreign minister?
From 1966 to 1974 Eban served as Israel's foreign minister under Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir. During this period he defended the nation's reputation after the Six-Day War began on the 5th of June 1967.
When did Abba Eban die and where was he buried?
He died on the 17th of November 2002 at age eighty-seven. His burial took place in Kfar Shmaryahu located north of Tel Aviv.