David Ben-Gurion

'A duty of national honor': Ben-Gurion’s historic 1949 radio address resurfaces ahead of elections

The former leader also addressed IDF soldiers serving at the time in Israel's War of Independence, saying that they should vote as free citizens.

Israel's first prime minister David Ben-Gurion casts his vote in the first election to the Knesset in 1949.
The Israel Ministry of Defense’s National Mine Action Authority (INMAA) clears minefields with the assistance of sappers from 4M Defense Mine Solutions in the northern Golan Heights near the Syrian border, April 28, 2026.

Israel’s strategic depth: Lessons of Oct. 7 and the future of national security - opinion

Israel’s election campaign is gathering pace, with the country’s political parties competing over the questions of security, leadership and the direction Israel takes after three years of war.

Israel picks between 'secular democracy or theocracy' in election, chess master Garry Kasparov says

Israelis vote for a party list, but have no say on Election Day over which of its candidates will ultimately represent them in the Knesset.PremiumPremium

Israel’s electoral system is over 100 years old - is it time to let voters choose their own MKs?


Israel must give up managing the conflict and choose winning it - opinion

Since the 1880s, Zionists have aimed to enrich Palestinians to foster peace. Yet, despite this approach, conflict and violence continue.

 THEN-FOREIGN MINISTER Shimon Peres and then-PA head Yasser Arafat clasp hands at a Euro-Mediterranean meeting, in Majorca, Spain, in 2001. Peres envisioned a Jordanian-Palestinian-Israeli economic arrangement, the writer notes.

Editors Notes: A new generation of pioneers will redefine Israel

If we don’t seize this moment to educate for a better future, we’ll revert to our old ways, and risk further trauma and division.

 T’S TIME for a new Israeli paradigm. Jewish farmers on their way to work in the fields in Palestine, 1939.

Would Israel’s founders approve of modern Zionism? - opinion

What would Israel’s early Zionist leaders think of today’s state? From political shifts to evolving peace efforts, we reflect on whether modern Israel meets their visions and dreams.

ISRAEL’S FIRST prime minister, David Ben-Gurion

We can operationalize the dream of unity into a reality - opinion

A Pew Research Center survey shows decreasing societal divisions in Israel, reflecting hope amid challenges. Fourth Quarter promotes unity through consensus-driven reforms.

Israeli flag.

How Ben-Gurion's pragmatic decision led to haredim draft exemption - analysis

David Ben-Gurion's 1948 decision not to draft yeshiva students shaped Israel's policy, sparking decades of debate on military exemptions amid societal and political transformations.

 David Ben-Gurion – Israeli politician, Zionist leader, First Prime Minister of israel.

Former MK Yael Dayan passes away at the age of 85

Yael Dayan, former MK and advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ rights, remembered for her leadership and trailblazing legislative efforts.

 Yael Dayan

A tale of two leaders: The Paris meetings between Ben-Gurion and Ho Chi Minh

In the post-WWII world, two dedicated men had found themselves in a Parisian hotel room, drawn together by history and the common bond of their enduring fight for their people’s freedom.

 (L-R) Hồ Chí Minh in Paris, 1946; Portrait of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, 1949

In the aftermath of Oct. 7, Ben-Gurion University doubles down on its mission

Doug Seserman, CEO of Americans for BGU, highlights the university’s unwavering commitment to the development of Israel's south ahead of the webinar 'Remarkable Resilience' on May 8.

Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) CEO Doug Seserman (pictured fourth from left) during a recent leadership solidarity mission to Israel with Ben-Gurion University President Prof. Daniel Chamowitz (pictured fifth from left)

From Ben-Gurion to Ben-Gvir: The face of Israel 2024 - Opinion

Dr. Esther Luzzatto's analysis on recent proposal by the Negev Development Minister to expand the borders of the Negev Development Authority to include the settlements of South Judea and Samaria

 Dr. Esther Luzzatto

In search of statesmanship and rallying towards a unified vision - opinion

Israel is at a crossroads, facing political, military, and moral challenges. The essence of statesmanship is as crucial as ever to navigate our modern complexities.

 A man and a boy walk past Israeli flags over a field of wildflowers blooming at the site of the Nova festival where people were killed and kidnapped during the October 7 attack by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Reim, sou