Fifth government of Israel

First Sharett Cabinet

5th Cabinet of Israel
Date formed26 January 1954 (1954-01-26)
Date dissolved29 June 1955 (1955-06-29)
People and organisations
Head of stateYitzhak Ben-Zvi
Head of governmentMoshe Sharett
Member partiesMapai
General Zionists
Progressive Party
Hapoel HaMizrachi
Poalei Agudat Yisrael
Democratic List for Israeli Arabs
Progress and Work
Agriculture and Development
Status in legislaturecoalition
Opposition leaderMeir Ya'ari
History
Legislature term2nd Knesset
Predecessor4th cabinet of Israel
Successor6th cabinet of Israel

The fifth government of Israel was formed by Moshe Sharett during the second Knesset on 26 January 1954, and was the first government not led by David Ben-Gurion. Sharett kept the same coalition partners as during the fourth government, i.e. Mapai, the General Zionists, the Progressive Party, Mizrachi, Hapoel HaMizrachi, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs, Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development.

The only changes to the previous government were Sharett taking over as PM, Pinhas Lavon as Minister of Defense, the addition of Zalman Aran as a Minister without Portfolio and the dropping of the two Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi Deputy Ministerial posts.

Ben-Gurion returned to the government in February 1955, replacing Lavon following the former's resignation over the Lavon Affair.

The government fell when Sharett resigned on 29 June 1955, when the General Zionists refused to abstain from voting on a motion of no-confidence brought by Herut and Maki over the government's position on the trial of Malkiel Gruenwald, who had accused Israel Kastzner of collaborating with the Nazis.

The Cabinet
Position Person Party
Prime Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Moshe Sharett Mapai
Minister of Agriculture Peretz Naftali Mapai
Minister of Defense Pinhas Lavon (until 21 February 1955)
David Ben-Gurion (after 21 February 1955)
Mapai
Mapai
Minister of Development Dov Yosef Mapai
Minister of Education and Culture Ben-Zion Dinor Not an MK
Minister of Finance Levi Eshkol Mapai
Minister of Health Yosef Serlin General Zionists
Minister of Internal Affairs Israel Rokah General Zionists
Minister of Justice Pinchas Rosen Progressive Party
Minister of Labour Golda Meir Mapai
Minister of Police Bechor-Shalom Sheetrit Mapai
Minister of Postal Services Yosef Burg Hapoel HaMizrachi
Minister of Religions
Minister of Welfare
Haim-Moshe Shapira Hapoel HaMizrachi
Minister of Trade and Industry Peretz Bernstein General Zionists
Minister of Transportation Yosef Sapir General Zionists
Minister without Portfolio Zalman Aran Mapai
Deputy Minister of Education and Culture Kalman Kahana Poalei Agudat Yisrael
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Zalman Suzayiv General Zionists