Conductor politician

Served as the fourth prime minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974

Israel's first and only female head of government

Early in her tenure, she made multiple diplomatic visits to western leaders to promote her vision of peace in the region

The outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 caught Israel off guard and inflicted severe early losses on the army

The resulting public anger damaged her reputation and led to an inquiry into the failings

Her Alignment coalition was denied a majority in the subsequent legislative election; she resigned the following year and was succeeded as prime minister by Yitzhak Rabin

Died in 1978 of lymphoma and was buried on Mount Herzl

A controversial figure in Israel, Meir has been lionized as a founder of the state and described as the "Iron Lady" of Israeli politics, but also widely blamed for the country being caught by surprise during the war of 1973

Her dismissive statements towards the Palestinians were widely scorned