17 March 1969
Golda Meir Becomes Prime Minister of Israel
Historical context
On this day, March 17, 1969, Golda Meir presented the government that made her Israel’s first woman prime minister, succeeding Levi Eshkol.
Archive record
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- Date
- 17 March 1969
- Verified sources
- 1
- Archive threads
- 7
On this day, Golda Meir presented her government after President Zalman Shazar asked her to form one. Levi Eshkol had died on 26 February. Yigal Allon had served as acting prime minister. The Knesset recorded an 84–12 vote of confidence the next day, 18 March, according to the contemporary JTA report.
Meir was born Golda Mabovitch in Kiev in 1898, raised in Milwaukee, and immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1921. She had been labor minister and foreign minister. She remained prime minister through the Yom Kippur War of October 1973 and resigned in 1974. She died on 8 December 1978.
Research trail
Sources and further reading
- Mrs. Meir Becomes 4th Premier As Knesset Gives Her a 84-12 Vote of Confidence · Jewish Telegraphic Agency · JTA (1969-03-18) View source
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