Helped found Israel and served as prime minister from 1963 until his death. Eshkol was a capable administrator, political leader, and statesman who served in such posts as director of the ministry of defense, minister of agriculture, and minister of finance. While he was prime minister, Israel fought the Six Day War against the Arab states in 1967. Eshkol favored Israeli cooperation with Arab states to develop the Middle East.

Eshkol was born Levi Shkolnik in Ukraine. He joined the Zionist movement as a young man. In 1914, he moved to Palestine and worked as a farmer. He helped form the Histadrut (General Federation of Labor) in 1920 and the Mapai (Israel Workers Party) in 1930. In the 1930's, he helped Jews in Germany move to Palestine. He helped build up the Haganah, the Jewish underground terrorist organization that fought against British mandate forces and against Palestinian Arabs opposed to the formation of a Jewish state in Palestine .