You are now entering the Jewish Currents archive.
November 17: Abba Eban
lawrencebush
November 17, 2010
Israel’s peerless diplomat, Abba Eban, died on this date in 2002. The South African-born politician, fluent in ten languages, served as ambassador to the United Nations during Israel’s first decade of independence and evoked in Jews great pride in his eloquence, intelligence, and general liberality. Eban, who was generally dovish on land-for-peace issues, played a key role in crafting UN Resolutions 242 and 338, which all-but-outlined a Mideast peace agreement after the 1967 Six Day War but was rejected by the Palestinian leadership until 1993. He also wrote several popular histories, including My People: The Story of the Jews (1968) and Heritage: Civilization and the Jews (1984), which was adapted for television in a series that he hosted. (His signature indicates his last name to be “Eben,” but everyone seems to spell it Eban.)
“I think that this is the first war in history that on the morrow the victors sued for peace and the vanquished called for unconditional surrender.” —Abba Eben
I’m Arielle Angel, editor-at-large of Jewish Currents. Before you go, there’s something I need to ask.
We’ve seen over and over how the mainstream media falters in telling stories on our beats—whether it’s antisemitism, Israel/Palestine in American politics, Jewish identity, or the American left. At Jewish Currents we’re committed to uncompromising analysis and longform reporting on these issues and more—stories you won’t find anywhere else. In a media landscape that obscures injustice and flattens discussion, we’re changing the conversation. But we need you.
If you believe in this work, please consider making a donation—or even better, a recurring one—to ensure that we are able to keep publishing stories like this one. We can’t do it without you.
