Zeev Shek, one of Israel’s most experienced diplomats, died suddenly in Rome Monday at the age of 58. He had been Ambassador in Italy for more than a year. Born in Czechoslovakia, Shek was imprisoned in Theresienstadt during the war. He joined the Israeli foreign service almost immediately upon its creation, and later served as political secretary to Moshe Sharett, the first Foreign Minister of Israel.
Before the Rome post he had headed the Western Europe section of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, with the rank of assistant director-general, and in that role had overseen Israel’s protracted negotiations for treaty status with the European community.
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