Labor Party politician Sapir played a vital role in the development of the Israeli economy. Born in Poland as Pinhas Kozlowski, he immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1929. He served in the Cabinet from 1955 to 1972, usually as the finance minister or the trade and industry minister, and Israel generally saw healthy economic growth during that period. He opposed territorial expansion beyond the Green Line after the 1967 war because of the economic ramifications.
