A civilian commander in chief: Ben-Gurion's mamlakhtiyut, the army and the law

David Ben-Gurion is usually considered a labour leader or Zionist national leader. Although he served as prime minister for fifteen years, he is still regarded as more of a 'security-minded leader' than a 'civilian leader'. Nevertheless, as premier of a fledgling state, he played a major role in shaping Israel's civil institutions and establishing democracy and the rule of law. Even his attitude towards the army and security matters derived from a solidly constructed civil Weltanschaung captured in his idea of Mamlakhtiyut. This article demonstrates the civil roots of his concept of the army by analyzing his insistent demand for the enactment of a comprehensive and efficient military criminal code (known in Israel as the 'Military Justice Law').