Menchú, Rigoberta was elected secretary of the Women’s Labor Council in 1928 and separated from her husband; however, they never officially divorced Meir helped found Mapai, Israel’s major labor party, which led every coalition government for the first three decades of its existence In the mid-1930s Meir was elected to the executive board of Histadrut, became the fundraiser for the Jewish Agency, and was elected as the head of the agency’s Political Department Following Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, Ben-Gurion appointed Meir as Israel’s ambassador to the Soviet Union Unhappy to leave the newly established Israel, she returned and was appointed minister of labor and national insurance, in which post she remained until 1956 She adopted the Hebrew name Golda Meir As foreign minister from 1956 to 1966, she attempted to build bridges with the emerging independent countries in Africa via an assistance program based on Israel’s nation-building experience Diagnosed with cancer in 1963, Meir retired from the Knesset; however, her retirement was short-lived Supportive of the Mapai Party merger and multiparty alignment, she was elected secretary general of the coalition in 1966 When Prime Minister Eshkol died in 1969, Golda Meir became the world’s third female prime minister Combining idealism and practicality, Meir led a full professional and personal life She dedicated her career to leading Israel’s struggle in survival and peace Both of these objectives were thwarted when Egypt and Syria attacked Israel during Yom Kippur in 1973 Meir was blamed for overestimating the strength of the Israel Defense Forces and misjudging the surrounding Arab countries’ intentions In 1974 she resigned and during the following four years worked on her autobiography and spent time with her family until her death in 1978 See also Arab-Israeli War (1973) Further reading: Martin, Ralph G Golda: The Romantic Years New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1988; Meir, Golda My Life Jerusalem: Steimatzky’s Agency Ltd, 1975; Meir, Menahem My Mother Golda Meir: A Son’s Evocation of Life with Golda Meir New York: Arbor House Publishing Company, 1983 Jenna Levin Menchú, Rigoberta (1959– ) Guatemalan peace activist Catapulted to international fame by her moving testimonial, I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983), Rigoberta Menchú 289 Tum was born on January 9, 1959, to a poor family of Quiché-Maya Guatemalan Indians, among the largest of Guatemala’s 26 indigenous ethno-linguistic groups Her gripping narrative of her life, her community, and their struggles for peace and justice in the highlands, coffee plantations, and cities of Guatemala was the principal impetus behind her receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 In recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples, the prize committee stated that “. . . Rigoberta Menchú stands out as a vivid symbol of peace and reconciliation across ethnic, cultural and social dividing lines, in her own country, on the American continent, and in the world . . . In her social and political work, she has always borne in mind that the long-term objective of the struggle is peace.” In 1999 her narrative was challenged as partly fabricated The allegations opened up a wide-ranging debate about the veracity of her account and the nature of truth in testimonial narratives Challenges to specific episodes in her account did not question the genocidal nature of the Guatemalan government’s anti-insurgency campaigns; the extremes of exploitation, oppression, and violence suffered by the country’s indigenous peoples; or Menchú’s moral courage or commitment to peace and justice In response to the controversy, the Nobel Prize Committee reaffirmed its decision As a vast anthropological and historical literature attests, Guatemala’s indigenous population has been subject to centuries of victimization and oppression by more powerful groups This is the context for understanding Rigoberta Menchú’s narrative, life, and struggles for justice In her teens she became involved in the social justice initiatives of the Catholic Church and in the women’s rights movement Her father, Vicente Menchú, was a political activist, jailed and tortured for his alleged involvement in the death of a plantation owner Upon his release he joined the Peasant Union Committee (CUC), and in 1979 Rigoberta did the same The next year Vicente was killed by security forces during a peaceful protest action at the Spanish embassy in Guatemala City Soon after, she became involved in a strike by farm workers on the Pacific coast and in other anti-government actions, and in 1981 was compelled to flee the country In exile she became a leading figure in the international movement for indigenous rights in Guatemala In 1983 she narrated her testimony to a Venezuelan anthropologist, who published her account the following year The book proved enormously influential, used in colleges and universities worldwide In 1999 a U.S anthropologist detailed numerous discrepancies in her account Controversy has raged