David Ben-Gurion (Hebrew: דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן, Arabic: داود بن غوريون, Russian: Дави́д Бен-Гурио́н, Polish: Dawid Ben Gurion) was a prominent Israeli statesman and military leader, widely regarded as the founder of the State of Israel and its first Prime Minister. As a military leader, Ben-Gurion played a pivotal role in the establishment and early development of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which he saw as essential for the security and sovereignty of the Jewish state. Prior to the establishment of Israel, he was a key figure in the Haganah, the underground Jewish paramilitary organization in British Mandate Palestine, which later became the core of the IDF. Ben-Gurion's military leadership was characterized by his strategic vision, his ability to unify diverse factions, and his commitment to building a strong, independent Jewish state. His leadership during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War was crucial in securing Israel's independence and territorial integrity. Ben-Gurion's military philosophy emphasized the importance of a strong, well-trained standing army, a principle that has been foundational to Israel's defense strategy ever since.