Ambassador Michael S. Comay served as Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from between 1960 and 1967. He is widely considered to be one of the founding fathers of Israeli diplomacy.
Born in South Africa, Ambassador Comay studied law. During World War II, Comay served as a Major in the South African military and fought with the Allies in North African.
At the conclusions of the war, Comay made aliyah with his wife and two children in an effort to rebuild the nascent state of Israel. He joined the staff of the Jewish Agency to raise financial resources and political support for Israel around the world. In 1947, Comay served as key member of representatives that lobbied the United Nations on behalf of Israel.
Ambassador Comay’s other foreign posts involved his tenure as Ambassador to Canada between 1953 and 1957, as well as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1970 until 1973.
Throughout his service, Ambassador Comay spoke of his commitment and vision to his work. Comay once stated: “I became convinced that it was essential to work for the creation of a Jewish state, and I felt I had to make a personal contribution.”
In 1979, Comay left the foreign service and retired to his family home in Jerusalem with his wife.
Ambassador Comay died in 1987 at the age of 79.
