Yisrael Galili (10 February 1911-8 February 1986) was an Israeli politician and member of Knessset . Before Israel's independence in 1948, he had served as Chief of Staff of the Haganah.
Galili was born in the town of Brailov in the 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 World War II, 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 the group was disbanded by David Ben Gurion in 1948, upon the establishment of the State of Israel.
Galili was also a founder of the HaNoar HaOved ("Working Youth") youth group, and of Kibbutz Na'an , where he lived until his death. He served in the first Knesset, and then again in the third through eighth Knessets, first on behalf of the Mapam party, and then for the Achdut HaAvodah party and the Israel Labor Party. He served briefly as Minister of Information and was Minister without Portfolio in several governments. He was also a member of the prestigious Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and on the Ministerial Committee for Settlement.
