11 Facts About Gideon Ezra

Gideon Ezra served as a member of the Knesset for Likud and Kadima between 1996 and 2012 and held several ministerial portfolios.

Gideon Ezra was born in Jerusalem and served in the Israeli Defense Force between 1955 and 1958 in the Nahal.

Gideon Ezra studied geography and political science at the University of Haifa.

Gideon Ezra worked for the Shin Bet from 1962 to 1995.

Gideon Ezra was elected to the Knesset in the 1996 elections on the Likud list, and retained his seat in the 1999 and 2003 elections.

Gideon Ezra was given his first full ministerial position after the 2003 elections when appointed Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister's Office.

When Binyamin Elon was sacked as Minister of Tourism in July 2004, Gideon Ezra replaced him, initially as Acting Minister.

When Sharon founded Kadima in late 2005, Gideon Ezra joined him, picking up the Environment Ministry portfolio from Labor's Shalom Simhon.

Gideon Ezra has overseen the expansion of container deposit legislation to cover 1.5 litre bottles.

Gideon Ezra retained his seat again in the 2009 elections, having been placed twelfth on the Kadima list.

On 17 May 2012, aged 74, Gideon Ezra died of lung cancer after a two-year battle with the disease.