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David Ben-Gurion

David Ben-Gurion (/bɛn ˈɡʊəriən/ ben GOOR-ee-ən; Hebrew: דָּוִד בֶּן־גּוּרִיּוֹן [daˈvid ben ɡuʁˈjon] ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary national founder of the State of Israel as well as its first prime minister. As head of the Jewish Agency from 1935, and later president of the Jewish Agency Executive, he was the de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine, and largely led the movement for an independent Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine.

"Ben Gurion" redirects here. For other uses, see Ben Gurion (disambiguation).

David Ben-Gurion

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Moshe Sharett

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Chaim Weizmann

  • Moshe Sharett
  • Himself

Levi Eshkol

Himself

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Pinhas Lavon

David Grün

(1886-10-16)16 October 1886
Płońsk, Congress Poland, Russian Empire

1 December 1973(1973-12-01) (aged 87)
Ramat Gan, Israel

(m. 1917; died 1968)

3

Born in Płońsk, then part of Congress Poland, to Polish Jewish parents, he immigrated to the Palestine region of the Ottoman Empire in 1906. Adopting the name of Ben-Gurion in 1909, he rose to become the preeminent leader of the Jewish community in British-ruled Mandatory Palestine from 1935 until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, which he led until 1963 with a short break in 1954–55. Ben-Gurion's interest for Zionism developed early in his life, leading him to become a major Zionist leader, and the executive head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946.[1]


On 14 May 1948, he formally proclaimed the establishment of Israel, and was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which he had helped to write. Under Ben-Gurion's leadership, the 1948 Arab–Israeli War saw the uniting of the various Jewish militias into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and the expulsion and flight of a majority of the Palestinian Arab population. Subsequently, he became known as "Israel's founding father".[2] Following the war, Ben-Gurion served as Israel's first prime minister and minister of defence. As prime minister, he helped build state institutions, presiding over national projects aimed at the development of the country. He also oversaw the absorption of Jewish immigrants. A major part of his foreign policy was improving relations with West Germany through a reparations agreement in compensation for Nazi confiscation of Jewish property during the Holocaust.[3]


In 1954, he resigned as prime minister and minister of defence but remained a member of the Knesset. He returned as minister of defence in 1955 after the Lavon Affair and the resignation of Pinhas Lavon. Later that year he became prime minister again, following the 1955 elections. He led Israel's reprisal operations to Arab guerrilla attacks, and its invasion of Egypt along with Britain and France during the Suez Crisis in 1956. He stepped down from office in 1963, and retired from political life in 1970. He then moved to his modest "hut" in Sde Boker, a kibbutz in the Negev desert, where he lived until his death. Posthumously, Ben-Gurion was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the 20th century.

In 1949, Ben-Gurion was awarded the of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in recognition of his contributions to the State of Israel.[137]

Solomon Bublick Award

In both 1951 and 1971, he was awarded the for Jewish thought.[138]

Bialik Prize

Israel's largest airport, , is named in his honour.

Ben Gurion International Airport

One of Israel's major universities, , located in Beersheva, is named after him.

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Numerous streets, as well as schools, throughout Israel have been named after him.

An Israeli modification of the British was named after Ben-Gurion

Centurion Tank

in Kibbutz Sde Boker which is now a visitors' center.

Ben-Gurion's Hut

A desert research center, , near his "hut" in Kibbutz Sde Boker has been named in his honour. Ben-Gurion's grave is in the research center.

Midreshet Ben-Gurion

An , unveiled in 1986, marks where Ben-Gurion lived in London at 75 Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale, W9.[139]

English Heritage blue plaque

In the , part of a riverside promenade of the Seine is named after him.[140]

7th arrondissement of Paris

His portrait appears on both the 500 lirot and the 50 (old) sheqalim notes issued by the Bank of Israel.[142]

[141]

List of prime ministers of Israel

List of defense ministers of Israel

Jewish Agency for Israel

List of Bialik Prize recipients

Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany

on the Knesset website

David Ben-Gurion

BBC News

Special Report David Ben-Gurion

Jewish Agency for Israel

"David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973)"

Shapell Manuscript Foundation

David Ben-Gurion's Personal Correspondence and Historical Documents

Annotated bibliography for David Ben-Gurion from the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues

March 2011 Ben-Gurion and Tewfik Toubi finally meet (28 October 1966)

David Ben-Gurion personal manuscripts

in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW

Newspaper clippings about David Ben-Gurion