Israel raised a record $225 million in bonds on Sunday, the biggest overnight sale of its debt securities ever, the Finance Ministry announced.Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz thanked the audience that gathered at the Israel Bonds annual conference in Miami, asking them to use their influence to support the Jewish state.RELATED:'Deficit to reach 3.4% in 2012 due to tax shortfall'“I’m asking you to harness your networks to help maintain a high level of investment in the Israeli economy,” Steinitz said. “That will help us maintain high growth and low unemployment.”Israel bonds have been an important tool for the government to handle its finances since they first went up for sale in 1948. Since the early 2000s sales rates have remained steady, hovering just over $1 billion a year.In 2011 Israel raised $1.1b. in bonds, a figure the finance ministry said exceeded its expectations.In 2003, Israel sold an all-time annual record of $1.4b. in debt securities, according to numbers provided by the Finance Ministry’s Economic Mission.
