Moshe Sharett (born Moshe Chertok or Shertok; 1894-1965) was a prominent Zionist leader, politician, and diplomat who played a key role in the founding of the State of Israel. Born on October 15, 1894, in Kherson, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire (now Ukraine), to Yaakov Shertok, a member of the Zionist Bilu group, Sharett immigrated with his family to Ottoman Palestine in 1906. They initially settled in the Arab village of Ein Sinia near Nablus, where young Moshe learned Arabic and local customs, before moving to Tel Aviv in 1910. He studied law at Constantinople University (now Istanbul) and served as an interpreter in the Ottoman army during World War I, including as a veteran of the Battle of Gallipoli. Sharett rose through Zionist ranks, heading the Political Department of the Jewish Agency from 1933 and founding the Jewish Brigade that fought with British forces in World War II. A principal negotiator in the 1949 cease-fire agreements ending the Israeli War of Independence, he signed Israel's Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. Serving as Israel's first Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1948 to 1956, he established the nation's early diplomatic framework. Sharett briefly succeeded David Ben-Gurion as Prime Minister from 1953 to 1955, advocating a moderate political stance amid tensions with regional neighbors. After resigning as Prime Minister, Sharett continued influencing Israeli politics until his death on July 7, 1965. Known for his diplomatic acumen and commitment to Zionism, he Hebraized his surname from Shertok to Sharett, reflecting broader cultural practices among Zionist leaders.