[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S7263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         IN HONOR OF ABBA EBAN

 Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise this morning to honor a 
great statesman on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
  Abba Eban--statesman, diplomat, scholar, and author--was born in 
South Africa on February 2, 1915. As a young man growing up in London, 
Mr. Eban learned fluent Hebrew and became an active member of the 
Zionist movement.
  He studied at Cambridge University, and became a lecturer in Hebrew, 
Arabic, and Persian literature.
  Mr. Eban served in World War II, where he was assigned to Jerusalem 
as liaison officer of Allied Headquarters. After the war, he entered 
the service of the Jewish agency in Jerusalem. In 1947, he became the 
agency's liaison officer with the U.N. Special Commission on Palestine.
  In 1948, Mr. Eban was appointed as Israel's representative to the 
United Nations and in this capacity, he appeared before the General 
Assembly to plead successfully for his country's admission to the 
United Nations.
  In 1950, Abba Eban was appointed Israel's Ambassador to the United 
States. At 35, he was the youngest person to hold such a high rank in 
Washington's diplomatic corps.
  In 1959, after returning to Israel, Mr. Eban was elected to the 
Israeli Knesset as a member of the Labor Party. He joined the Cabinet 
as Minister Without Portfolio, was appointed Minister of Education and 
Culture in 1960, and in 1963, he became Deputy Prime Minister under 
Prime Minister Levi Eshkol.
  In 1966, Mr. Eban became Israel's Minister for Foreign Affairs, a 
position he held until June 1974.
  Through the years, Mr. Eban has been recognized in numerous arenas 
for his diplomatic prowess and his contributions to the state of 
Israel. He holds honorary doctorates from several universities, 
including New York University, Boston University, the University of 
Maryland, and the University of Cincinnati. He is a fellow of the World 
Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the only living member of the 
Orator's Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Eban recently served as host and narrator of ``Israel: A Nation 
is Born,'' a five-part historical television mini-series, documenting 
40 years of Israel's history.
  Mr. President, the Israeli people have been fortunate to count Mr. 
Eban among their leaders. He has consistently represented the Jewish 
state with dignity, with strength and with aplomb. As he celebrates 
this birthday, we should all take this opportunity to celebrate his 
many accomplishments.


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