Golda Meir
4th Prime Minister of Israel · 1898–1978
Golda Meir was a Labor Zionist leader who served as Israel's labour minister, foreign minister and, from 1969 to 1974, prime minister. She backed a strong welfare state and a firm security policy, and resigned after the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
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Estimated from their documented words and actions. A simplification, not a verdict.
Governed within Israel's centralized parliamentary system and showed no interest in devolving power to regions.
Rose through party and parliamentary politics and resigned in 1974 after public criticism over the 1973 war.
Put national security first, authorizing covert operations against Palestinian militant groups after the 1972 Munich killings.
A committed Zionist who distrusted international bodies she saw as hostile to Israel.
Led Israel through the War of Attrition and the 1973 Yom Kippur War and kept strong defence spending.
Supported mass Jewish immigration under the Law of Return while expecting newcomers to integrate into a shared Hebrew-speaking nation.
Came from Labor Zionism and the Histadrut labour federation, and as labour minister built public housing and social insurance.
Supported a large state and union-owned sector and government direction of housing and employment.
Backed the protected, state-guided economy of early Israel.
Personally secular and a socialist, though her governments kept religious authority over marriage and personal status.
Labour reforms were progressive for the time, but she was dismissive of the feminist movement and of Palestinian national claims.
No strong recorded view on technology beyond general support for national development.