56 years ago today, March 17, 1969 (January 29, 1969), Golda Meir became Prime Minister of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir March 17, 1969 Golda Meir, a woman who once taught in a public school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sworn in as Israel's 4th Prime Minister today. In her formal speech, Mrs. Meir, 71, said she would strive to "meet face-to-face" with the Arabs, adding that if the Arabs believed that "there would be a solution without negotiation, such a solution would not work." Her coalition cabinet was approved. Surprisingly, David Ben Gurion abstained. Gurion claimed that some of the new cabinet members had "divided Israel." There is also a religious party opposed to Mrs. Meir. Advocates of the party advised Jews to ignore "strangers."