David Ben-Gurion (born David Grün; (October 16, 1886 – December 1, 1973) is an Israeli statesman.

He is the main founder and the first Prime Minister of Israel.

Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which begins early in life, leads him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946.

As head of the Jewish Agency, and later president of the Jewish Agency Executive, he becomes the de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine, and largely leads its struggle for an independent Jewish state in Palestine.

On May 14, 1948, he formally proclaims the establishment of the State of Israel, and is the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which he has helped to write.

Ben-Gurion leads Israel during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and unites the various Jewish militias into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Subsequently, he becomes known as "Israel's founding father" Following the war, Ben-Gurion serves as Israel's first Prime Minister.

As Prime Minister, he helps build the state institutions, presiding over various national projects aimed at the development of the country.

He also oversees the absorption of vast numbers of Jews from all over the world.

A centerpiece of his foreign policy is improving relationships with the West Germans.

He works very well with Konrad Adenauer's government in Bonn and West Germany provides large sums (in the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany) in compensation for Germany's prosecution of the Holocaust against the Jews.

In 1954, he resigns and serves as Minister of Defense, before returning to office in 1955.

Under his leadership, Israel responds aggressively to Arab guerrilla attacks, and in 1956, invades Egypt along with British and French forces after Egypt nationalize the Suez Canal.

He steps down from office in 1963, and retires from political life in 1970.

He then moves to Sde Boker, a kibbutz in the Negev desert, where he lives until his death.

Posthumously, Ben-Gurion is named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the 20th century.