Abba Eban was an Israeli diplomat and politician who served as Israel's Deputy Prime Minister from 1959 to 1965. He was also the Foreign Minister of Israel from 1966 to 1974, and was a member of the Knesset from 1950 to 1974. He was a major figure in the development of Israel's foreign policy and was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978. He was also a noted scholar and author, writing several books on the history of the Middle East.