ABSTRACT
The first new phenomenon was the emergence of a messianic movement, Gush Emunim, which was intent on settling Jews in the areas Israel occupied in the war. Levi Eshkol passed away in February 1969 and was replaced by Israel's first ever, and so far only, woman Prime Minister, Golda Meir. Meir's government was quite preoccupied with retaliation policies and with other pressing issues, such as attempting to secure massive immigration of Soviet Jews to Israel in 1972 and 1973. Although the world expected to encounter a far more intransigent and war-mongering Israel, the new Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, went at first in a very different direction at least in his policies towards the Arab world. Yitzhak Rabin won the first round in the internal elections within the Labour party, but had to allow Shimon Peres to hold the second most senior position after the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence.
