Yitzhak Rabin was born in Jerusalem, on March 1, 1922. His father, Nehemiah, had immigrated to Israel from the United States, and served as a volunteer in the Jewish Legion during World War I. His mother, Rosa Cohen, immigrated to Israel from Russia in 1919, and was one of the first members of the Haganah, the mainstream Jewish defense organization.
Rabin grew up in Tel-Aviv and in 1940 completed his schooling with a distinction at the Kadoori Agricultural High School. During his practical training at Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan, Rabin joined the Palmach. He served in the Palmach and the Israeli army (I.D.F.) for 27 years, culminating his military career as I.D.F. Chief of Staff. In his role as Chief of Staff, Rabin led the I.D.F. to a triumphant victory in the Six Day War, which resulted in the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem. On all fronts, Israeli forces overcame the Arab armies, capturing Judea, Samaria and Gaza, the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula.
On retiring from the I.D.F. in 1968, Rabin was appointed Israeli Ambassador to the United States. He served in this role until 1973, consolidating ties between the United States and Israel.
Upon Rabin’s return to Israel in 1973, he became active in the Israel Labor Party. In the December 1973 elections, which followed the Yom Kippur War, he was elected to the Knesset, and when Golda Meir formed her government in April 1974, he was appointed Minister of Labor. The government resigned shortly afterwards, and on June 2, 1974, Yitzhak Rabin formed a new government.
As Prime Minister, Rabin placed emphasis on improving the economy, solving social problems, and strengthening the I.D.F. With American mediation, Rabin concluded the interim agreement with Egypt in 1975. As a result of this agreement, the first Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Government of Israel and the United States.
In June 1976, the government headed by Rabin ordered the Entebbe operation for the rescue of Air France passengers hijacked to Entebbe in Idi Amin's Uganda. In a heroic I.D.F. operation thousands of miles from home, all the hijacked passengers, with the exception of Mrs. Dora Bloch, were released and transported safely to Israel. Commander of the operation, Major Yonathan "Yoni" Netanyahu, was killed in the course of the rescue.
Following the elections in May 1977, and the Labor Party’s defeat, Rabin served as a Member of Knesset in the opposition, and was a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, until the formation of the National Unity Government in September 1984. He then served as Minister of Defense in the National Unity Government from September 1984 to March 1990.
From March 15, 1990, to June 23, 1992, Rabin again served as a Member of Knesset in the opposition. Before the 1992 elections, the Israel Labor Party held its first nationwide primaries. Rabin was elected Chairman of the Party in February 1992, and in the June 1992 national elections he was elected Prime Minister.
During his second term as Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin emphasized the development of the education system and road infrastructure, and the strengthening of local industry. He placed at the top of the national agenda the pursuit of peace with the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world.
On September 13, 1993, Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat signed the Declaration of Principles in Washington, D.C., outlining the proposed interim self-government arrangements. The "Gaza-Jericho First" agreement, signed in Cairo on May 4, 1994, addressed the implementation of the first stage of the Declaration of Principles.
Following progress in the negotiations with the Palestinians, Rabin was awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize together with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.
On October 26, 1994, Rabin and King Hussein signed the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
On November 4, 1995, Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a gunman in central Tel Aviv after attending a peace rally. He was laid to rest on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
The Rabin assassination shocked the nation. Leaders from around the world attended his State funeral in Jerusalem.
Rabin is survived by his wife, Leah, a daughter, Dalia, and a son, Yuval.