Name: Benjamin Netanyahu

Birth Date: October 21, 1949

Place of Birth: Tel Aviv, Israel (now Tel Aviv-Yafo)

Nationality: Israeli

Political Party: Likud (1988–1999, 2005–2022)

Positions Held:

• Prime Minister of Israel (1996–1999, 2009–2021, 2022– present)
• Foreign Minister of Israel (2002–2003)
• Finance Minister of Israel (2003–2005)

Early Life:

• Son of historian Benzion Netanyahu
• Relocated to Philadelphia, USA in 1963
• Served in the Israeli military (1967–1973)
• Studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.B.A., 1976)
• Participated in the Yom Kippur War (1973)

Notable Achievements:

• Led successful Entebbe raid in 1976
• Founded the Jonathan Institute, sponsoring conferences on terrorism
• Elected leader of the Likud party in 1993
• Noted for opposition to the 1993 Israel-PLO peace accords
• Held several ambassadorship positions before being elected to the Knesset
• Signed the Wye River Memorandum in 1998, resulting in West Bank territorial changes

Challenges:

• Faced unrest and violence during his first term as prime minister
• Dealt with strained relations with the United States
• Confronted multiple corruption investigations and charges
• The longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history
• Known for his strong stance on security and foreign policy
• Played a significant role in shaping Israeli politics for several decades
• Controversial figure both domestically and internationally

Early Life and Political Career

In 1963, Benjamin Netanyahu, the offspring of the renowned historian Benzion Netanyahu, relocated to Philadelphia, United States, with his family. In 1967, he enlisted in the Israeli military, joining the elite special operations unit, Sayeret Matkal, and was part of the team that successfully rescued a hijacked aircraft at Tel Aviv airport in 1972. He pursued his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing his M.B.A. in 1976. During this time, he also served in the Yom Kippur War in Israel in 1973. Following his brother Jonathan’s leadership in the successful Entebbe raid in 1976, Benjamin founded the Jonathan Institute, an organization dedicated to sponsoring conferences on counterterrorism.

Political Ascension

Prior to his tenure as prime minister, Netanyahu held various diplomatic positions. In 1988, he was elected to the Knesset (Israeli parliament) as a member of the Likud party. He served as the deputy minister of foreign affairs from 1988 to 1991 and later as a deputy minister in Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s coalition cabinet from 1991 to 1992. In 1993, he assumed leadership of the Likud party, succeeding Shamir. Netanyahu became widely recognized for his strong opposition to the 1993 Israel-PLO peace agreements and the subsequent Israeli withdrawals from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

First Term as Prime Minister (1996–99)

Netanyahu’s initial term as prime minister was characterized by unrest. Shortly after taking office, relations with Syria deteriorated. His decision in September 1996 to open an ancient tunnel near Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem led to heightened tensions and intense clashes with Palestinians. Subsequently, Netanyahu reversed his earlier stance on the 1993 peace agreements and, in 1997, agreed to withdraw Israeli troops from most of the West Bank town of Hebron. However, due to pressure from within his coalition, he announced plans to establish a new Jewish settlement on land claimed by Palestinians, reducing the amount of land designated for Palestinian control during Israel’s withdrawal from the West Bank. This decision triggered violent protests, including a series of bombings.

In 1998, Netanyahu engaged in peace talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, resulting in the Wye Memorandum. This agreement involved transferring up to 40 percent of the West Bank to Palestinian control, but it faced opposition from right-wing factions in Israel, causing several parties in Netanyahu’s government coalition to withdraw. In 1998, the Knesset dissolved the government, and new elections were scheduled for May 1999.

Netanyahu’s re-election campaign was challenged by a fragmented right-wing and growing dissatisfaction among voters with his inconsistent approach to peace policies and his often confrontational style. Scandals, including the controversial appointment of Roni Bar-On as attorney general in 1997, further eroded his political support. Allegations of Bar-On facilitating a plea bargain for a Netanyahu associate accused of fraud and bribery triggered a series of no-confidence votes in the Knesset. With his political base weakened, Netanyahu suffered a resounding defeat to Ehud Barak, the leader of the Labour Party, in the 1999 elections.

Shifts in Leadership

After his 1999 defeat, Benjamin Netanyahu stepped aside as the head of Likud, with Ariel Sharon taking his place. Nevertheless, Netanyahu remained a prominent figure within the party. In 2001, early elections were called, and Netanyahu, though ineligible to run for prime minister due to his resignation from the Knesset, unsuccessfully challenged Sharon for the party’s leadership. In Sharon’s government, Netanyahu held the positions of foreign minister from 2002 to 2003 and finance minister from 2003 to 2005. In 2005, Sharon departed from Likud and established a centrist party, Kadima. Netanyahu later reclaimed the leadership of Likud but was defeated in the 2006 Knesset elections, with Likud securing only 12 seats compared to Kadima’s 29.

Second Stint as Prime Minister (2009–21)

The February 2009 elections marked a significant comeback for Likud, with Netanyahu leading the party to 27 Knesset seats, just one seat behind Kadima, led by Tzipi Livni. However, due to the close and inconclusive nature of the results, it was initially uncertain which party’s leader would be invited to form a coalition government. Through subsequent coalition negotiations, Netanyahu secured the support of Yisrael Beiteinu (15 seats), Shas (11 seats), and several smaller parties. Consequently, he was tasked by Israel’s president to form the government, which was inaugurated on March 31, 2009.

In June 2009, Netanyahu tentatively expressed support for the idea of an independent Palestinian state, provided that any future Palestinian entity would be demilitarized and formally recognize Israel as a Jewish state. These conditions, however, were swiftly rejected by Palestinian leaders. Negotiations in 2010 faltered when a 10-month moratorium on building settlements in the West Bank expired, and Israel refused to extend it, stalling the peace process for the remainder of Netanyahu’s term.

On the international front, Netanyahu adopted a firm stance, advocating for more robust global action against Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program, which he viewed as the most significant threat to Israeli security and world peace. He also expressed pessimism regarding the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, predicting that new Arab leaders would be more hostile to Israel than their predecessors.

Domestically, Netanyahu grappled with growing economic discontent, particularly among the middle class and youth. Large-scale protests erupted across Israel in the summer of 2011, denouncing social and economic disparities and calling for increased government support for transportation, education, childcare, housing, and other public services. In the following year, his coalition faced challenges over military draft exemptions for Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews. The third and final coalition crisis of 2012 resulted in early elections after disagreements within the coalition regarding an austerity budget.

The January 2013 elections returned Netanyahu to the position of prime minister, leading a coalition that appeared more centrist than his previous one. A revitalized center-left, led by Yesh Atid, a party founded by media mogul Yair Lapid that focused on the socioeconomic concerns of the 2011 protests, had emerged. Meanwhile, Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu formed a combined list that secured the most Knesset seats in 2013, though it fell short of expectations. Following negotiations, Netanyahu brokered an agreement between the Likud–Yisrael Beitneinu bloc, Yesh Atid, Livni’s Hatnua party, and several smaller parties.

In July 2014, Netanyahu ordered a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks into Israel. At the conclusion of the 50-day campaign, Netanyahu declared that the primary objective of reducing militants’ capability to launch rockets had been achieved. However, the operation faced international criticism due to the high number of Palestinian casualties. By late 2014, serious disputes had arisen within the governing coalition, particularly concerning budgetary matters and a contentious bill that sought to define Israel as a Jewish state. In December, Netanyahu dismissed Livni and Lapid from the cabinet, leading to early elections scheduled for March 2015.

Relations with the United States became increasingly strained in 2014 as Netanyahu emerged as a vocal critic of the Obama administration’s Iran policy, which aimed to address the Iranian nuclear issue through international negotiations. Netanyahu argued that any compromise would leave Iran with the option to develop nuclear weapons, advocating for the continuation of sanctions against Iran instead.

In January 2015, in the lead-up to Israel’s elections, Netanyahu accepted an invitation to address the U.S. Congress on Iran, which he did on March 3. This invitation generated considerable controversy because it was extended by the speaker of the House of Representatives without informing the White House, departing from the usual protocol for visiting heads of state. Furthermore, Netanyahu was widely expected to voice criticism of the Obama administration. Critics in both Israel and the United States contended that Netanyahu’s open alignment with partisan opponents of a sitting president jeopardized the bipartisan support for Israel in the United States.

As the March 17 election approached, analysts predicted a closely contested race between Netanyahu’s Likud party and the Zionist Union, a center-left alliance comprising the Labour Party and Hatnua. When the results were announced, it became evident that Netanyahu and Likud had secured the most Knesset seats, 30 in total, compared to the Zionist Union’s 24, marking a surprisingly decisive victory.

Indictment and Coalition Challenges

Netanyahu’s fourth term was marred by ongoing investigations into allegations of bribery and other forms of corruption involving him and his inner circle. In February 2018, Israeli police announced that they had uncovered sufficient evidence to recommend charges of bribery and fraud in two of the cases. In the first case, Netanyahu was accused of trading political favors for lavish gifts, including expensive cigars, champagne, and jewelry.

A key witness in this case was Netanyahu’s political rival and former coalition partner, Lapid. In the second case, Netanyahu was alleged to have sought favorable media coverage from the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth in exchange for curbing the circulation of a competing paper, Israel Hayom. In November, the police recommended charges against several individuals closely associated with Netanyahu in a third case, involving bribery related to Israel’s purchase of submarines from ThyssenKrupp.

However, Netanyahu himself was not directly implicated. In December, charges against Netanyahu were recommended in a fourth case, in which he was alleged to have advanced regulatory policies favorable to Bezeq, a telecommunications company, in exchange for positive media coverage in the news outlet owned by Bezeq’s controlling shareholder. The attorney general committed to reviewing the three cases in which Netanyahu was implicated collectively and deciding whether to proceed with charges.

While Netanyahu’s political allies initially stood by him, he gradually lost support from his coalition partners due to policy disagreements. A truce with Hamas in November, recommended by Israel’s defense establishment after a period of intense conflict between Israel and the group, led to the resignation of Avigdor Lieberman from his post as defense minister, with his Yisrael Beiteinu party leaving the coalition. This left the coalition with a minimal majority of 61 out of 120 seats in the Knesset. In late December, a deadline loomed to renew controversial Haredi conscription exemptions, leading to disagreements among Netanyahu’s remaining coalition partners. Subsequently, the Knesset was dissolved, and early elections were scheduled for April 2019.

In a first for Israeli history, three sets of elections were conducted before a new government could be established. This, however, was more a result of waning political support for Netanyahu’s policies than a consequence of controversies surrounding his corruption charges. On February 28, less than six weeks before the elections, Israel’s attorney general announced his intention to pursue recommended charges against Netanyahu for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, pending a hearing. Despite the charges, Netanyahu’s party performed well in the elections, and it seemed that he had secured a fifth term as prime minister. Nevertheless, coalition negotiations reached an impasse due to differences among potential partners regarding Haredi conscription. New elections took place in September, yielding similar results, and once again, no coalition could be formed.

The third round of elections occurred in March 2020, just prior to the start of Netanyahu’s trial. The results saw significant gains for Likud, driven by an effective get-out-the-vote campaign. Nonetheless, Netanyahu fell short of sufficient support to establish a coalition government. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Benny Gantz received a mandate to form a government, with the backing of the Joint List, a party representing the interests of Palestinian citizens of Israel. An emergency unity government was formed under Netanyahu’s leadership, with a power-sharing arrangement signed on April 20, which would transfer the prime minister’s office to Gantz after 18 months.

However, the emergency unity government faced internal conflicts and criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Netanyahu’s popularity dwindled, primarily due to controversies surrounding his management of lockdowns and the economy, as well as the commencement of his corruption trial. By the end of 2020, the emergency unity government was unable to pass a budget for 2021, resulting in the dissolution of the Knesset. New elections were held in March 2021, and despite a highly successful COVID-19 vaccination campaign earlier in the year, Netanyahu and his allies once again fell short of a majority in the Knesset. In June, Naftali Bennett, with the support of Yair Lapid, announced the formation of a broad coalition, signaling the end of Netanyahu’s second term as prime minister.

Electoral Resurgence in 2022

Netanyahu’s corruption trial encountered setbacks in early 2022 when it was revealed that the police had used Pegasus spyware to hack the cell phones of some of the trial’s witnesses. This development caused delays in testimonies and raised concerns about the trial’s integrity in the eyes of the public. In May, Netanyahu’s defense team demonstrated that a critical meeting, as alleged by the prosecution, could not have taken place on the date stated in the indictment, further undermining the case against him in the Bezeq allegations.

Simultaneously, as the leader of the largest party in the opposition, Netanyahu adopted a more confrontational approach toward the ruling coalition. In April, when a senior member of the coalition defected to the opposition, resulting in a tied Knesset with 60 seats on each side, Netanyahu actively encouraged further defections to destabilize Bennett’s government. In June, he instructed his party to vote against the renewal of an emergency regulation, in place since 1967, that allowed civil, rather than military administration, to govern Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This decision led to the regulation’s defeat, jeopardizing the legal system. Bennett was compelled to dissolve the Knesset, enabling the extension of emergency regulations until a new government could be formed.

When elections were held in November, voter turnout reached its highest level in Israel since 1999, and the right-wing bloc achieved its best performance since 2015. Netanyahu returned to office, heading a controversial coalition that included far-right ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir in pivotal positions. The appointment of one cabinet minister was revoked by the High Court of Justice due to a suspended sentence. The High Court’s intervention added momentum to the coalition’s contentious plans to subject the judiciary to legislative oversight, potentially affecting Netanyahu’s corruption trial, by amending the country’s basic laws. Amid concerns that the coalition would lean far-right, Netanyahu assured the public that his center-right agenda would dominate.