| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | [[File:Ben Gurion 1959.jpg|thumb|David Ben-Gurion]]
| + | {{Prime Minister |
| | + | |name=David Ben-Gurion |
| | + | |image=Ben Gurion 1959.jpg |
| | + | |seq= |
| | + | |country=Israel |
| | + | |term_start=May 17, 1948 |
| | + | |term_end=January 26, 1954 |
| | + | |party=Mapai |
| | + | |previous=''New office'' |
| | + | |next=Moshe Sharett |
| | + | |office2= |
| | + | |seq2= |
| | + | |term_start2=November 3, 1955 |
| | + | |term_end2=June 26, 1963 |
| | + | |party2= |
| | + | |previous2=Moshe Sharett |
| | + | |next2=Levi Eshkol |
| | + | |birth_date=October 16, 1886 |
| | + | |birth_place=Plonsk |
| | + | |death_date=December 1, 1973 |
| | + | |death_place=Tel Aviv |
| | + | |spouse= |
| | + | |spouse2= |
| | + | |religion=[[Atheism]]<ref>http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/biography-david-ben-gurion/5810.aspx</ref> |
| | + | }} |
| | '''David Ben-Gurion''' (Oct 16, 1886 Plonsk (Poland) - Dec 1, 1973 Tel-Aviv) was the founder of the modern state of [[Israel]], which he proclaimed on May 4, 1948. He served Israel as its first [[prime minister]] until 1963 except for a brief period from 1954 to 1955. He was also minister of defense. | | '''David Ben-Gurion''' (Oct 16, 1886 Plonsk (Poland) - Dec 1, 1973 Tel-Aviv) was the founder of the modern state of [[Israel]], which he proclaimed on May 4, 1948. He served Israel as its first [[prime minister]] until 1963 except for a brief period from 1954 to 1955. He was also minister of defense. |
| | | | |
| | + | ==Biography== |
| | A [[Zionist]], he settled in [[Palestine]] as an orchard worker in 1906. He was involved in the foundation of the worker's union ''Histradut'' (general secretary 1921 - 1935) and of the [[socialist]] party ''Mapai''. As chairman of the Jewish Agency (1935-1948), he organized the immigration of Jewish refugees from [[Europe]] to Palestine against the resistance of the [[Palestinian]] [[Arab]]s and the [[British]], who held a [[League of Nations]] mandate over the area and wished to avoid immigration policies that would upset the status quo. In 1944, he became president of the ''World Zionist Organization''. | | A [[Zionist]], he settled in [[Palestine]] as an orchard worker in 1906. He was involved in the foundation of the worker's union ''Histradut'' (general secretary 1921 - 1935) and of the [[socialist]] party ''Mapai''. As chairman of the Jewish Agency (1935-1948), he organized the immigration of Jewish refugees from [[Europe]] to Palestine against the resistance of the [[Palestinian]] [[Arab]]s and the [[British]], who held a [[League of Nations]] mandate over the area and wished to avoid immigration policies that would upset the status quo. In 1944, he became president of the ''World Zionist Organization''. |
| | + | |
| | + | In 1956 during the [[Suez Crisis]] as a result of Egyptian provocations Ben-Gurion ordered to take over the [[Sinai Peninsula]]. The Israeli army withdrew from it when Israel was allowed to use the Strait of Tiran and when de facto peace was established along the Egyptian-Israeli border.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Ben-Gurion</ref> |
| | | | |
| | He read extensively, accumulating a library of some 20,000 books.<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern%20History/Centenary%20of%20Zionism/Zionist%20Leaders-%20David%20Ben-Gurion Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs]: Zionist Leaders: Ben-Gurion</ref> | | He read extensively, accumulating a library of some 20,000 books.<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Modern%20History/Centenary%20of%20Zionism/Zionist%20Leaders-%20David%20Ben-Gurion Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs]: Zionist Leaders: Ben-Gurion</ref> |