David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, is one of the national heroes of Israel. His efforts and influence are still seen across the country today. You can see his name on the main international airport in Israel (Ben Gurion International Airport), one of the largest universities in the nation (Ben Gurion University), and almost every city in Israel has a Rachov Ben Gurion (Ben Gurion Street).
Ben Gurion was born in 1886 in Poland (that time a Soviet territory). He grew up with strong Zionist views, and left for the British Mandate of Palestine in 1909 after seeing the horrors of the Pogroms and experiencing Eastern European anti-Semitism.
After studying in Istanbul, Ben Gurion was expelled from Israel by the Ottoman Empire. He moved to New York and later joined the British Army. He was able to return to the British Mandate of Palestine after the British captured the territory in World War I.
While living in pre-state Israel, Ben Gurion became leader of the Labor Zionist Mapai party. As such, he became Executive Director of the Jewish Agency until 1948.
During the Arab revolt from 1936-1939, Ben Gurion became part of the Haganah (Defense). This military unit is the predecessor to the current day Israel Defense Forces. Ben Gurion supported the partition plan and wanted to live side by side with an Arab state.
After the 1939 British White Paper, Ben Gurion changed his view and decided that a peaceful solution with the Arabs did not exist. He then worked to create a Jewish army to fight for and protect the Jewish land and presence.
During World War II, Ben Gurion encouraged all Jewish men to join the British Army. About 10% of Jews in British Palestine did so. While the war was happening, Ben Gurion worked to help many thousands of Jews immigrate (illegally) to Israel to escape certain death in the Holocaust.
In 1946, Ben Gurion’s Haganah joined with Menachem Begin’s Irgun, a far right wing military group, to fight for freedom. The two groups continued bringing Jews into Israel and worked to create an agreement with the Orthodox presence for a future state.
On May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion declared an independent State of Israel.
This led to the War of Independence. The new Israeli army, the conglomeration of the Haganah and Irgun, were able to successfully defeat Arab armies attacking on all sides.
Ben Gurion remained Prime Minister until 1963 (less a two year stint). His dream as Prime Minister was to build up the Negev as an agricultural region and central region for those living in Israel.
After his time as Prime Minister, Ben Gurion was instrumental in the formation of the Rafi Party. This party later merged with Mapai to form the Alignment party. He later broke off and formed the National List party. None of those parties still exist in their original form today, though they were predecessors to modern major political parties.
He lived the remaining years of his life in Kibbutz Sde Boker located in the Negev. He is buried in the nearby Midreshet Ben Gurion there next to his wife.
This post is first in a series called Prime Ministers in History. The series covers the lives and influence of those who have held Israel’s highest office.
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