# Twelfth government of Israel

The twelfth government of Israel was formed by Levi Eshkol on 22 December 1964, towards the end of the fifth Knesset.
Eshkol kept the same coalition partners as previously, i.e. Mapai, the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development. The only change to the cabinet was Akiva Govrin becoming the country's first Minister of Tourism, having been a Minister without Portfolio in the previous government.
Yosef Almogi and Shimon Peres resigned from the cabinet in May 1965 due to their opposition of the alliance between Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda. Both joined Ben-Gurion's new party, Rafi in July.
The government served until 12 January 1966, when the thirteenth government took power following the November 1965 elections.

## Cabinet members

| Position | Person | Party |
| Prime Minister | Levi Eshkol | Mapai |
| Deputy Prime Minister | Abba Eban | Mapai |
| Minister of Agriculture | Haim Gvati | Not an MK $^1$ |
| Minister of Defense | Levi Eshkol | Mapai |
| Minister of Development | Yosef Almogi (until 25 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Minister of Development | Haim Yosef Zadok (from 31 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Minister of Education and Culture | Zalman Aran | Mapai |
| Minister of Finance | Pinchas Sapir | Mapai |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Golda Meir | Mapai |
| Minister of Health | Haim-Moshe Shapira | National Religious Party |
| Minister of Housing | Yosef Almogi (until 23 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Minister of Housing | Levi Eshkol (from 31 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Minister of Internal Affairs | Haim-Moshe Shapira | National Religious Party |
| Minister of Justice | Dov Yosef | Not an MK $^2$ |
| Minister of Labour | Yigal Allon | Mapai |
| Minister of Police | Bechor-Shalom Sheetrit | Mapai |
| Minister of Postal Services | Eliyahu Sasson | Not an MK $^3$ |
| Minister of Religions | Zerach Warhaftig | National Religious Party |
| Minister of Tourism | Akiva Govrin | Mapai |
| Minister of Trade and Industry | Pinchas Sapir (until 25 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Minister of Trade and Industry | Haim Yosef Zadok (from 25 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Minister of Transportation | Yisrael Bar-Yehuda (until 4 May 1965) $^4$ | Ahdut HaAvoda |
| Minister of Transportation | Moshe Carmel (from 30 May 1965) | Ahdut HaAvoda |
| Minister of Welfare | Yosef Burg | National Religious Party |
| Deputy Minister of Defense | Shimon Peres (until 25 May 1965) | Mapai |
| Deputy Minister of Education and Culture | Kalman Kahana (until 22 November 1965) | Poalei Agudat Yisrael |
| Deputy Minister of Education and Culture | Aharon Yadlin | Mapai |
| Deputy Minister of Health | Yitzhak Rafael (until 22 March 1965) | National Religious Party |
| Deputy Minister of Health | Shlomo-Yisrael Ben-Meir (from 24 March 1965) | National Religious Party |
| Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs | Shlomo-Yisrael Ben-Meir | National Religious Party |
$^1$ Although Gvati was not an MK at the time, he later entered the Knesset as a member of the Labour Alignment, an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda.
$^2$ Although Yosef was not an MK at the time, he was a member of Mapai.
$^3$ Although Sasson was not an MK at the time, he was elected to the next Knesset as a member of the Labour Alignment, an alliance of Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda.
$^4$ Died in office.