Editing Levi Eshkol (section)

===Minister of Finance===
[[File:Arithur Levitt Sr. NY St Comp - Levi Eshkol Fin Min 1959.jpg|thumb|Levi Eshkol (right), Israel's Finance Minister, meeting with [[Arthur Levitt Sr.]] (left), New York State Comptroller (1959)]]
Following the death of [[Eliezer Kaplan]] he was appointed [[Finance Minister of Israel|Finance Minister]] and held that position for the following 12 years. During these years, he helped form the ministry of finance, establishing the Budgets Directorate and other bodies. In 1954 he completed legislation for the establishment of the [[Bank of Israel]].

Eshkol oversaw the implementation of Kaplan's 1952 economic plan, as well as realizing the [[Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany]], which was towards its final stages of negotiation and signed in September 1952.

In 1957 he began talks with the [[European Economic Community]] towards integration of Israel in its market, ultimately achieved in 1964 with the signing of the first commercial agreement between the two entities.

In 1962 Eshkol introduced a new economic plan.