Israeli statesman and socialist politician. He was one of the founders of the state of Israel and the country’s first prime minister (1948–53) – and again from 1955 to 1963.
He retired from politics in 1970 but remained a lasting symbol of the Israeli state.
He was born in Poland and went to Palestine in 1906 to farm.
He was a leader of the Zionist movement and, as defence minister, he presided over the development of Israel’s armed forces into one of the strongest armies in the Middle East.
