Joseph Ivor Linton
Encyclopedia
Joseph Ivor Linton (1900–1982) was an Israel
i diplomat
.
Born in Russia
, he immigrated to England
in 1919, where he engaged in Zionist activities on behalf of the Jewish Agency for Palestine. Following the establishment of the State of Israel, he served as Israeli Minister Plenipotentiary in Australia
(December 6, 1950–May 9, 1952), Japan
(December 26, 1952–August 1, 1957), Switzerland
and Thailand
. In 1961 served as head of the Israeli delegation to the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities, held in Vienna
. He was a personal friend of Israel's first President
, Chaim Weizmann
, whom he had known in England. Linton disapproved of the Israeli reprisal
policy against civilians in neighboring Arab countries.
Linton was a highly unusual diplomat. Not knowing any Hebrew
, he wrote all his diplomatic reports in English
. He was also very temperamental, which was the result of the mistrust shown towards him by his superiors in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Born in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, he immigrated to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1919, where he engaged in Zionist activities on behalf of the Jewish Agency for Palestine. Following the establishment of the State of Israel, he served as Israeli Minister Plenipotentiary in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(December 6, 1950–May 9, 1952), Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(December 26, 1952–August 1, 1957), Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. In 1961 served as head of the Israeli delegation to the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities, held in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He was a personal friend of Israel's first President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
, whom he had known in England. Linton disapproved of the Israeli reprisal
Reprisal
In international law, a reprisal is a limited and deliberate violation of international law to punish another sovereign state that has already broken them. Reprisals in the laws of war are extremely limited, as they commonly breached the rights of civilians, an action outlawed by the Geneva...
policy against civilians in neighboring Arab countries.
Linton was a highly unusual diplomat. Not knowing any Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, he wrote all his diplomatic reports in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He was also very temperamental, which was the result of the mistrust shown towards him by his superiors in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.