1959 in Israel
Encyclopedia
Incumbents
- Prime Minister of IsraelPrime Minister of IsraelThe Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
– David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
(MapaiMapaiMapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
) - President of IsraelPresident of IsraelThe President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
– Yitzhak Ben-ZviYitzhak Ben-ZviYitzhak Ben-Zvi was a historian, Labor Zionist leader, the second and longest-serving President of Israel.-Biography:... - Chief of General Staff - Haim Laskov
- Government of Israel - 8th Government of IsraelEighth government of IsraelThe eighth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 7 January 1958, and was the second government of the third Knesset. Ben-Gurion kept the same coalition partners as during the previous government, i.e. Mapai, the National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda, the Progressive Party,...
until December 17, 9th Government of IsraelNinth government of IsraelThe ninth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 17 December 1959 following the November 1959 elections. Ben-Gurion largely kept the same coalition partners as during the previous government The ninth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 17 December 1959 following...
Events
- April 1 – The "Night of the DucksNight of the DucksThe "Night of the Ducks" is the term used to describe a civilian fiasco by the Israel Defense Forces that occurred on April 1, 1959.Traditionally, Israel conducted regular call-up exercises for its reserve troops by public radio. Units were given code words, which, if broadcast over the radio,...
" scandal: A surprise Israeli military exercise to test the mobilization of the IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
's reserves causes panic throughout Israel and puts the armies of the neighboring Arab states on high alert. - July 9 – The Wadi Salib riots begin in Haifa.
- October 6 – The CarmelitCarmelitThe Carmelit is an underground funicular railway in Haifa, Israel. Construction started in 1956 and ended in 1959. The Carmelit was closed in 1986 after showing signs of aging...
, HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
's underground funicular railwayFunicularA funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, is opened. - November 3 – MapaiMapaiMapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
leader David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
wins the fourth Israeli legislative electionsIsraeli legislative election, 1959Elections for the fourth Knesset were held in Israel on 3 November 1959. Voter turnout was 81.5%.-Results:¹ The General Zionists and the Progressive Party merged to form the Liberal Party....
. - December 17 – David Ben-Gurion presents his cabinet for a Knesset "Vote of Confidence". The 9th GovernmentNinth government of IsraelThe ninth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 17 December 1959 following the November 1959 elections. Ben-Gurion largely kept the same coalition partners as during the previous government The ninth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 17 December 1959 following...
is approved that day and the members were sworn in.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 1959 include:Notable Palestinian militant operations against Israeli targets
The most prominent Palestinian fedayeen terror attack
Palestinian political violence
Palestinian political violence refers to acts of violence undertaken to further the Palestinian cause. These political objectives include self-determination in and sovereignty over Palestine, the liberation of Palestine and establishment of a Palestinian state, either in place of both Israel and...
s committed against Israeli targets during 1959 include:
- February 1 - Three Israeli civilians are killed by a terrorist landmine near moshav ZavdielZavdielZavdiel is a religious moshav in southern Israel. Located in Hevel Lakhish near Kiryat Gat, it falls under the jurisdiction of Shafir Regional Council. In 2006, it had a population of 413....
. - April 15 - An Israeli guard is killed at kibbutz Ramat RachelRamat RachelRamat Rachel is a kibbutz located south of Jerusalem in Israel, as an enclave within Jerusalem's municipal boundaries. Overlooking Bethlehem and Rachel's Tomb and situated within the Green Line, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council...
. - April 27 - Two Israeli hikers are shot at close range and killed near Massada.
- October 3 - A shepherd from kibbutz Heftziba is killed near kibbutz Yad HanaYad HanaYad Hana is a former kibbutz in the Sharon near Route 57, North-central Israel. Covering 2,600 dunams, it is located within the Hefer Valley Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 208...
.
Notable Israeli military operations against Palestinian militancy targets
The most prominent Israeli military counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
operations (military campaign
Military campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
s and military operations) carried out against Palestinian militants during 1959 include:
Notable deaths
- January 28 – Yosef SprinzakYosef SprinzakYosef Sprinzak was a leading Zionist activist in the first half of the 20th century, an Israeli politician, and the first Speaker of the Knesset, a role he held from 1949 until his death in 1959....
(b. 1885), Russian-born leading Zionist activist, an Israeli politician and the first Speaker of the Knesset. - February 20 – Zalman ShneurZalman ShneurZalman Shneur was an Israeli poet and writer.- Biography :Shneur was born in Shklov in Belarus in 1887. His parents were Isaac Zalkind and Feiga Sussman. At age 13, he left for Odessa, the center of literature and Zionism during this time...
(b. 1887), Russian (Belarus)-born Israeli poet and writer - February 25 – Yehudah AraziYehudah AraziYehuda Arazi , code name Alon, was a Polish Jew active in the Haganah paramilitary in Palestine and subsequently the Israeli Defense Force after the creation of Israel.-Biography:...
(b. 1907), Russian (Poland)-born leading Haganah commander. - February 25 – Eliyahu BerligneEliyahu BerligneEliyahu Berligne was a founder of Tel Aviv, an important member of the Yishuv in Mandate Palestine and a signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence.-Biography:...
(b. 1866), Russian-born early Zionist leader and a founder of Tel Aviv. - February 26 – Selig SuskinSelig SuskinSelig Suskin was an Israeli agronomist and an early member of the Zionist movement.-Biography:Suskin was born in 1873 in Crimea, then part of the Russian Empire and now part of Ukraine...
(b. 1873), Russian-born Israeli agronomist and early Zionist. - April 6 – Leo Aryeh MayerLeo Aryeh MayerLeo Aryeh Mayer , was an Israeli scholar of Islamic art and rector of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-Biography:Mayer was born in 1895 in the city of Stanisławów, Galicia, then in Austria-Hungary , to an eminent rabbinical hasidic family...
(b. 1895), Austro-Hungarian (Galicia)-born Israeli scholar of Islamic art and rector of the Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. - 25 July – Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi HerzogYitzhak HaLevi HerzogRabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog , also known as Isaac Herzog, was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936...
(b. 1888), Russian (Poland)-born Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the British Mandate of Palestine and of Israel. - September 13 – Israel RokachIsrael RokachIsrael Rokach, Honorary CBE was an Israeli politician, Knesset member, and mayor of Tel Aviv from November 15, 1936 to April 13, 1953.-Biography:...
(b. 1896), Israeli politician, Knesset member, and mayor of Tel Aviv. - Full date unknown – Shimon Fritz BodenheimerShimon Fritz BodenheimerShimon Fritz Bodenheimer was an Israeli biologist and zoologist.-Biography:Bodenheimer was born in Germany to parents, Max Bodenheimer, a leading Zionist, and Rosa Dalberg. He emigrated to Mandate Palestine, now Israel, in 1922.-See also:* List of Israel Prize recipients* Bodenheimer...
- (b. 18971897 in Germany-National level:* Kaiser — Wilhelm II* Chancellor — Chlodwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst-Kingdoms:* King of Bavaria — Otto of Bavaria* King of Prussia — Kaiser Wilhelm II* King of Saxony — Albert of Saxony...
) German-born Israeli biologist and zoologist.