Golda Meir

=== Labor Minister (1949–1956) ===
[[File:Evita y Golda Meir.jpg|thumb|Golda Meir and [[Eva Perón]] in Argentina, 1951.]][[File:The first meeting of the Israeli 3rd government.jpg|thumb|Golda Meir at first session of the [[Third government of Israel|third government]] (1951)]]
Ben-Gurion initially offered Meir the position of "deputy prime minister", which she rejected. She found the title and responsibilities vague, and disliked the idea of needing to coordinate with so many government departments.<ref name=":1" />

Instead, she took the role of [[Labour Minister of Israel|Labor Minister]], which she held from 10 March 1949 to 19 June 1956.<ref name=":1" /> Meir enjoyed this role much more than her previous, calling it her "seven beautiful years". In particular, she enjoyed the ability to act quickly and with little friction from others. She was also one of the most powerful Israeli politicians at the time. 

The main source of friction in the role was funding, especially to deal with the millions of immigrants arriving in the new state. In October 1950, Meir announced in Washington a three-year-plan for Israel's development and stated a price tag of $15 billion over the next 15 years. The Israeli government managed to secure a loan from the United States government and American Jews that secured 40% of the budget. The newly-created [[Israel Bonds]] only provided a small amount, although years later they would contribute billions to the Israeli economy.<ref name=":1" />

Meir assisted in building over a hundred [[ma'abarot]] ({{Lang-he|מַעְבָּרוֹת}}), temporary immigrant camps with crude tin-roofed huts and tents for housing. She drew criticism from many new immigrants and contemporary politicians due to this, but responded by pointing to her limited budget and the time needed to construct proper housing. In 1953, she assisted in an effort to eliminate the ma'abarot. By 1956, two-thirds were eliminated, and 120,000 families moved to permanent housing.<ref name="google" /><ref name=":1" /> 

Meir considered herself highly productive during this period.<ref name=":1" /> She carried out welfare state policies, orchestrated the integration of immigrants into Israel's workforce,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biography |url=http://www.morim-madrichim.org/en/GetFile/r/3703/biographiesrosamadpdf?firstreq=1 |access-date=January 31, 2013 |publisher=Morim Madrichim}}{{Dead link|date=December 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> and introduced major housing and road construction projects.<ref name="micropedia">"Golda Meir", ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]],'' Micropædia, 1974, 15th edition, p. 762</ref> From 1949 to 1956, 200,000 apartments and 30,000 houses were built, large industrial and agricultural developments were initiated, and new hospitals, schools, and roads were built.<ref name="google">{{Cite book |last=Flatt, J.M.M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zqSckpZ4DGgC |title=Powerful Political Women: Stirring Biographies of Some of History's Most Powerful Women |date=2012 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=9781462068197 |page=172 |access-date=December 3, 2014}}</ref> Despite the complaints of her colleagues in the Finance Ministry, Meir worked to establish [[Bituah Leumi|social security]], maternity benefits, work-related accident insurance, benefits to widows and orphans, and even burial costs.<ref name="google2">{{Cite book |last=Reich, B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3D5FulN2WqQC |title=Political Leaders of the Contemporary Middle East and North Africa: A Biographical Dictionary |date=1990 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=9780313262135 |page=329 |access-date=December 3, 2014}}</ref> 

In 1954, she sided with Ben-Gurion against [[Pinhas Lavon]] in the [[Lavon Affair]].<ref name=":1" /> 

In the summer of 1955, Meir reluctantly [[Municipal elections in Israel|ran]] for the position of mayor of Tel Aviv on request of her party. At the time, mayors were elected by the city council and not directly. She lost by the two votes of the religious bloc who withheld their support on the grounds that she was a woman.<ref>''My Life''. p. 232. She 'wasn't very pleased' with B.G. and was 'enraged' by the religious bloc.</ref><ref name="elections">[https://en.idi.org.il/articles/10198 Dana Blander, "Elections for the Local Authority – Who, What, When, Where and How?"], first published in ''Parliament'', November 5, 2008, posted at Israel Democratic Institute; accessed August 21, 2018</ref> While angered by the sexism she encountered, she was happy to rejoin her colleagues in the cabinet.<ref name=":1" />

On 3 August 1955, she was again hospitalized after complaining of chest pains, and was diagnosed with arrhythmia.<ref name=":1" />