EVRON, EPHRAIM

EVRON, EPHRAIM (1920–1995), Israel diplomat. Evron was born in Haifa and was educated at the Reali High School there, continuing his studies at the Hebrew University, and graduating in history in 1940. He served in the British army during World War ii from 1941 to 1946 and in the Israel Defense Forces in 1948. In the same year he entered the Foreign Office, and in 1950 was appointed director, but the following year was transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister. He served as personal assistant to Moshe Sharett, David Ben-Gurion, and Pinḥas Lavon, and his close involvement with the last in the "Lavon Affair" brought him into conflict with Moshe Dayan, then chief of staff, and nearly wrecked his political career. He left government service and took up a position representing the Histadrut in the U.S.A., rejoining the Foreign Office in 1961 when he was appointed counselor, and subsequently minister, at the Israeli Embassy in London.

In 1965 he was appointed minister to the Israeli Embassy in Washington and served in that capacity until 1968 when he was appointed ambassador to Sweden; in 1969 he became ambassador to Canada where he served until 1971. On his return to Israel he was appointed deputy to the director-general of the Foreign Office and in 1977 director-general.

In October 1978 he was appointed ambassador to the U.S., in succession of Simcha *Dinitz, taking up his appointment in December of that year and serving until 1982.