Sharett, Moshe (1894–1965)

Israeli Labour politician, prime minister 1954–55. He was responsible for the volunteering of Palestinian Jews into the British army during World War II, and following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, Sharett became foreign minister and a Knesset (parliament) deputy, gaining a reputation as a moderate. In January 1954 he replaced Ben-Gurion as prime minister, and remained foreign minister. He was replaced as prime minister in November 1955, when, following parliamentary elections, Ben-Gurion was returned to power.

As prime minister, Sharett sought to promote peace with Egypt, but faced opposition from army chief of staff Moshe Dayan. After 1955 Sharett remained foreign minister a further year and privately opposed Ben-Gurion's military plans and the Sinai Campaign. This led to his dismissal in June 1956.

Born in Russia, with the surname Shertok, his family emigrated to Palestine in 1906. Sharett fought for the Turkish army during World War I. After the war, he studied at the London School of Economics and returned to Israel, in 1925, to become a journalist and politician. In 1930 Sharett joined the Labour Party (Mapai) and, from 1933, served as ‘foreign minister’ of the Yishuv and the Zionist movement, ranking second to David Ben-Gurion.