Letter signed by Abba Eben - 1974 dated Autograph

Typed letter signed by Abba Even in Jerusalem to Mr. and Mrs. H. O'Brien in New York. Envelope also included.

Abba Solomon Meir Eban, born Aubrey Solomon Meir Solomon in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1915, was a renowned Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar. Raised in England, he displayed exceptional academic talent from a young age. Eban studied Classics and Oriental languages at the University of Cambridge, where he mastered Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian. He later became a lecturer at the university. During World War II, he served in the British Army Intelligence Corps, eventually reaching the rank of major.

Eban’s passion for the Zionist cause led him to work for the Jewish Agency. His elite British education and linguistic prowess made him an ideal advocate for Jewish statehood on the global stage. After Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, Eban transitioned into high-profile diplomatic roles. He became Israel’s first Permanent Representative to the United Nations and simultaneously served as the Ambassador to the United States.

Eban was known for his commanding eloquence, powerful oratory skills, and impeccable attire. He defended Israel through several major geopolitical crises, including the 1956 Suez Crisis and the 1967 Six-Day War. Eban also entered domestic Israeli politics as a member of the Knesset and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1966 to 1974.

Despite his international prestige, Eban’s polished and aristocratic demeanor often alienated him from his more rustic domestic political peers. In his later years, he turned to academia and writing, publishing influential books on Jewish history and diplomacy before passing away in 2002.