Mordechai Bentov

Mordechai Bentov (; 28 March 1900 – 18 January 1985) was a Russian-born Israeli journalist and politician. He was one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence.

Biography Bentov was born Mordechai Gutgeld in Grodzisk Mazowiecki in the Russian Empire (now in Poland). After attending a gymnasium he studied law for two years at the University of Warsaw, and was one of the founding members and leaders of Hashomer Hatzair in Poland. He emigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1920, and continued studying law in Jerusalem.

Bentov later said that he first encountered the "Arab-Jewish problem" during the events of 1921, saying "I was set up, armed with a gun, to defend a Jewish neighborhood in Jaffa. I saw in the distance a lot of Arab villagers with sticks and stones, marching to riot against the Jews. After them I saw women carrying sacks – to collect the loot." He was amongst the founders of Kibbutz Artzi, and was a member of Mishmar HaEmek kibbutz.

In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset as a member of Mapam. He was re-elected in 1951 and 1955, after which he was appointed Minister of Development, a post he held until 1961. His sister Shulamit died the following month and was also buried at Mishmar HaEmek.