| Eighth Ben-Gurion Cabinet | |
|---|---|
 10th cabinet of Israel | |
 | |
| Date formed | 2 November 1961 |
| Date dissolved | 26 June 1963 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (until 23 April 1963) Zalman Shazar(from 21 May 1963) |
| Head of government | David Ben-Gurion |
| Member parties | Mapai National Religious Party Ahdut HaAvoda Poalei Agudat Yisrael Cooperation and Brotherhood Progress and Development |
| Status in legislature | Coalition |
| Opposition leader | Menachem Begin |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 1961 Israeli legislative election |
| Legislature term(s) | 5th Knesset |
| Predecessor | 9th cabinet of Israel |
| Successor | 11th cabinet of Israel |
The tenth government of Israel was formed on 2 November 1961 following the August elections. Although David Ben-Gurion was appointed Prime Minister, the government was actually formed by Minister of Finance, Levi Eshkol. On 7 September Ben-Gurion had told President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi that he was unable to form a government; on 14 September Ben-Zvi asked Eshkol to form a government, with Eshkol subsequently announcing that he would do so with Ben-Gurion as PM. [1] It turned out to be the last government led by Ben-Gurion.
Elections for the fifth Knesset were held in Israel on 15 August 1961. Voter turnout was 81.6%.
David Ben-Gurion was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first Prime Minister of Israel. He was the preeminent leader of the Jewish community in British Mandate 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.
Levi Eshkol was an Israeli statesman who served as the third Prime Minister of Israel from 1963 until his death from a heart attack in 1969. A founder of the Israeli Labor Party, he served in numerous senior roles, including Minister of Defense (1963–1967) and Minister of Finance (1952–1963).
Contents
The coalition included Mapai, the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development. Deputy Ministers were appointed four days after the cabinet was in place.
Mapai was a centre-left political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the modern-day Israeli Labor Party in 1968. During Mapai's time in office, a wide range of progressive reforms were carried out, as characterised by the establishment of a welfare state, providing minimum income, security, and free access to housing subsidies and health and social services.
The National Religious Party was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist movement. Formed in 1956, at the time of its dissolution in 2008, it was the second-oldest surviving party in the country after Agudat Yisrael, and was part of every government coalition until 1992. Traditionally a practical centrist party, in its later years, it drifted to the right, becoming increasingly associated with Israeli settlers, and towards the end of its existence, it was part of a political alliance with the strongly right-wing National Union. The 2006 elections saw the party slump to just three seats, the worst electoral performance in its history. In November 2008, party members voted to disband the party in order to join the new Jewish Home party created by a merger of the NRP and most of the National Union factions. However, most of the National Union left the merger shortly after its implementation.
Ahdut HaAvoda was the name used by a series of political parties. Ahdut HaAvoda in its first incarnation was led by David Ben-Gurion. It was first established during the period of British Mandate and later became part of the Israeli political establishment. It was one of the forerunners of the modern-day Israeli Labor Party.
The government fell on 16 June 1963 when Ben-Gurion resigned "because of personal needs". [1] However, in reality he was annoyed at a perceived lack of support from his colleagues. [2]
