David Ben Gurion, who died in 1973 aged 87, is a member of an elite group of world leaders whose names will always be associated with the founding of their countries. Without the dedication and tenacity of Ben Gurion it is unlikely that Israel would have been created as early as it was.
The source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/events/israel_at_50/profiles/81279.stm