Yisrael Galili (Hebrew: ישראל גלילי‎, born Yisrael Berchenko on 10 February 1911, died 8 February 1986) was an Israeli politician, government minister and member of Knesset. Before Israel's independence in 1948, he had served as Chief of Staff of the Haganah.

Biography

Galili was born in the town of Brailov in the Russian Empire (now Ukraine). His family immigrated to Palestine when he was three years old, and settled in Tel Aviv. Galili attended school there and apprenticed with a printer.

Galili began his military career in 1927, when he enlisted in the Haganah. He was appointed to the organization's leadership committee in 1935, and was later placed in charge of Acquisitions and Armaments. During the Second World War, he was involved in preparations to counter an anticipated German invasion of Palestine. He was appointed Chief of Staff of the Haganah in 1946, and served in that capacity until he was removed by David Ben-Gurion, June 1948, in what was called the "Generals' Revolt".

Galili was also a founder of the HaNoar HaOved ("Working Youth") youth group, and of Na'an, a kibbutz where he lived until his death. He served in the first Knesset from 1949 to 1951, and then again from 1955 until 1977, first on behalf of the Mapam party, before being part of the split that formed Ahdut HaAvoda and later merged into the Alignment. He served briefly as Minister of Information and was Minister without Portfolio in several governments. One of Prime Minister Golda Meir's top advisers, and member of her Cabinet, he was also a member of the prestigious Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and on the Ministerial Committee for Settlement.

Victor John Ostrovsky an author, artist and self-proclaimed former katsa (case officer) for the Israeli Mossad (foreign intelligence service) has stated in his non-fiction book about his service with the Mossad: By Way of Deception, that Yisrael Galili had a long running affair with Golda Meir (Prime Minister of Israel) who was some 13 years his senior.