acquiring ammunition for Israel's then-fledgling army. Kollek was a key figure in creating an alliance between the Mossad and the CIA during the 1940s and 1950s. In national politics Kollek became a close ally of David Ben-Gurion, serving in the latter's governments from 1952 as the director general of the prime minister's office. Mayor of Jerusalem In 1965 Teddy Kollek succeeded Mordechai Ish-Shalom as Mayor of Jerusalem. On his motivations for seeking the mayor's office in Jerusalem, Kollek once recalled: I got into this by accident[...] I was bored. When the city was united, I saw this as an historic occasion. To take care of it and show better care than anyone else ever has is a full life purpose. I think Jerusalem is the one essential element in Jewish history. A body can live without an arm or a leg, not without the heart. This is the heart and soul of it. During his tenure Jerusalem developed into a modern city, especially after its reunification in 1967. He was often called “the greatest builder of Jerusalem since Herod.” Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983, and 1989, serving 28 years as mayor of Jerusalem. In a reluctant seventh bid for mayor in 1993, Kollek, aged 82, lost to Likud candidate Ehud Olmert. Relationship with the Arab community In the Six-Day War of 1967, East Jerusalem, which had been under Jordanian control since 1948, was captured by Israel. As mayor of a newly united Jerusalem, Kollek's approach toward the Arab inhabitants was governed by pragmatism. Within hours of the transfer of authority, he arranged for the provision of milk for Arab children. Some Israelis considered him pro-Arab. Kollek advocated religious tolerance and made numerous efforts to reach out to the Arab community during his tenure. Muslims continued to have access to Masjid Al-Aqsa (i.e. the Temple Mount) for worship. While he was adamant that Jerusalem never be divided again and remain under Israeli sovereignty, he believed in concessions to reach a final settlement. Kollek's views on the annexation of East Jerusalem softened after leaving office. Civic and cultural projects Kollek dedicated himself to many cultural projects during his lengthy term in office, and served as the founder and head of the Jerusalem Foundation, through which he helped finance the projects. Kollek was also instrumental in the establishment of the Jerusalem Theater. The Israel Museum Kollek's most notable