1. Yehoshua Matza was an Israeli political figure and president and CEO of State of Israel Bonds, a global enterprise that generates more than $1 billion in annual sales.
15 Facts About Yehoshua Matza
1. 2.
Yehoshua Matza served 18 years in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, as a member of the Likud party.
3.
Yehoshua Matza was a cabinet minister in the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, holding the portfolio of minister of health.
4.
The Yehoshua Matza family arrived in Palestine from Ioannina in Greece, and settled in the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's walled Old City.
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Yehoshua Matza was born in the city during the British Mandate era.
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Yehoshua Matza attained the rank of captain in the artillery corps.
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Yehoshua Matza began his private sector career with a Jerusalem accounting firm.
8.
Yehoshua Matza first entered politics by joining Menachem Begin's right-wing Herut party.
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In 1969 Yehoshua Matza was elected deputy mayor; among his responsibilities was the beautification of Jerusalem, including the establishment of gardens and parks throughout the city.
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Yehoshua Matza sat on the Knesset Finance Committee until 1988, when he retained his seat in elections that year.
11.
When his efforts to increase the Health Ministry budget failed, Yehoshua Matza abstained from a key Knesset vote on the national budget.
12.
In protest to what he viewed as insufficient allocations to the Health Ministry, Yehoshua Matza refused to participate in the vote.
13.
Barak's involvement in discussions with Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat over the division of Jerusalem led to Yehoshua Matza submitting a bill to amend the Jerusalem Law.
14.
Soon thereafter Yehoshua Matza was elected as president and CEO of the Israel Bonds organization by its board of directors.
15.
Yehoshua Matza resigned from the Knesset and moved to New York City in March 2002.