11 Facts About Matan Vilnai

Matan Vilnai is an Israeli politician and a former major general in the Israel Defense Forces.

Since 2017 Vilnai serves as the president of the Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce.

Matan Vilnai graduated from the Hebrew Reali School in 1962 and was drafted into the IDF, serving in the Paratroopers Brigade and the elite reconnaissance unit Sayeret Matkal.

Matan Vilnai was deputy commander [1] of the assault force in Operation Thunderbolt, known as the Entebbe Raid, to free Jewish and Israeli passengers taken hostage by Palestinian and German terrorists after their Air France plane was hijacked to Entebbe, Uganda.

Matan Vilnai led the assault team into the airport building, while another team secured the outside.

Matan Vilnai gave up his Knesset seat six months after the election, but remained a minister.

Matan Vilnai re-entered the Knesset after the 2003 elections second on Labor's list, but lost his ministerial post as Sharon formed a right-wing coalition that excluded Labor.

Matan Vilnai was initially appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

Matan Vilnai won sixth place on the Labor list for the 2009 elections, and retained his seat in the subsequent election.

In February 2012 Matan Vilnai was appointed Israel's ambassador to China.

Matan Vilnai serves since 2018 as the President of the Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce.