Golda Meir (born May 3, 1898, Kiev [Ukraine] - died December 8, 1978, Jerusalem) Israeli politician who helped found (1948) the State of Israel and later served as its fourth prime minister (1969–74). She was the first woman to hold the post. Golda Meir was an Israeli politician who served as the fourth prime minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. She was Israel's first and only female head of government and the first female head of government in the Middle East.