Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu ( , also Binyamin Netanyahu , born 21 October 1949) is the ninth and current Prime Minister of Israel , serving since March 2009. Netanyahu also serves as the current Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member , as the Health Minister of Israel , as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel . Netanyahu is the first (and, to date, only) Israeli prime minister born after the State of Israel's foundation . Netanyahu joined the Israeli Defense Forces in 1967 where he served as a commander in the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit, taking part in many missions including the hostages rescue mission from the hijacked Sabena Flight 572 in 1972. He fought in the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and achieved the rank of captain before being discharged. Netanyahu served as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988, member of the Likud Party, and was Prime Minister from June 1996 to July 1999. Netanyahu was Foreign Minister (2002–2003) and Finance Minister (2003–August 2005) in Ariel Sharon 's governments, but he departed over disagreements regarding the Gaza Disengagement Plan . He retook the Likud leadership on 20 December 2005. In the 2006 election , Likud did poorly, winning twelve seats. In December 2006, Netanyahu became the official Opposition Leader in the Knesset and Chairman of the Likud Party. In August 2007, he retained the Likud leadership by beating Moshe Feiglin in party elections. Following the 10 February 2009 parliamentary election , in which Likud placed second and right-wing parties won a majority, Netanyahu formed a coalition government. He is the brother of Israeli Special Forces commander Yonatan Netanyahu , who died during a hostage rescue mission , and Iddo Netanyahu , an Israeli author and playwright.

Benjamin ( Binyamin ) " Bibi " Netanyahu ( audio ; born 21 October 1949) is the current Prime Minister of Israel . He also currently serves as a member of the Knesset , Chairman of the Likud party and Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs . Born in Tel Aviv to secular Jewish parents, Netanyahu is the first Israeli prime minister born in Israel after the establishment of the state . Netanyahu joined the Israel Defense Forces during the Six-Day War in 1967 and became a team leader in the Sayeret Matkal special forces unit. He took part in many missions, including Operation Inferno (1968), Operation Gift (1968) and Operation Isotope (1972), during which he was shot in the shoulder. He fought on the front lines in the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, taking part in special forces raids along the Suez Canal , and then leading a commando assault deep into Syrian territory. He achieved the rank of captain before being discharged. After graduating from MIT with SB and SM degrees, he was recruited as an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group . He returned to Israel in 1978 to found the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute , named after his brother Yonatan Netanyahu , who died leading Operation Entebbe . Netanyahu served as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988. Netanyahu became the leader of Likud in 1993. Netanyahu won the 1996 elections, becoming Israel's youngest ever Prime Minister, serving his first term from June 1996 to July 1999. He moved from the political arena to the private sector after being defeated in the 1999 election for prime minister by Ehud Barak . Netanyahu returned to politics in 2002 as Foreign Affairs Minister (2002–03) and Finance Minister (2003–05) in Ariel Sharon 's governments, but he departed the government over disagreements regarding the Gaza disengagement plan . As Minister of Finance, Netanyahu engaged in a major reform of the Israeli economy, which was credited by commentators as having significantly improved Israel's subsequent economic performance. He retook the Likud leadership in December 2005, after Sharon left to form a new party, Kadima . In December 2006, Netanyahu became the official Leader of the Opposition in the Knesset and Chairman of Likud. Following the 2009 parliamentary election , in which Likud placed second and right-wing parties won a majority, Netanyahu formed a coalition government . After the victory in the 2013 elections , he became the second person to be elected to the position of Prime Minister for a third term, after Israel's founder David Ben-Gurion . In March 2015, Netanyahu was elected to his fourth term as prime minister. Netanyahu has been elected Prime Minister of Israel four times, matching David Ben-Gurion's record. He is the only prime minister in Israel's history to have been elected three times in a row. He is currently the second longest-serving Prime Minister in Israel's history after David Ben-Gurion , and if he completes his current term he will become the longest-serving Prime Minister in the history of Israel.

9th Prime Minister of Israel "Netanyahu" redirects here. Benjamin Netanyahu ( / ˌ n ɛ t ɑː n ˈ j ɑː h uː / ; audio ; born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement . He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israeli history and the first to be born in Israel after the establishment of the state . Born in Tel Aviv to secular Jewish parents, Netanyahu was raised in both Jerusalem and the Philadelphia area of the United States . He returned to Israel immediately upon graduating high school in 1967 to join the Israel Defense Forces shortly after the Six-Day War . Netanyahu became a team leader in the Sayeret Matkal special forces unit and took part in many missions, including Operation Gift (1968) and Operation Isotope (1972), during which he was shot in the shoulder. Netanyahu fought on the front lines in the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, taking part in special forces raids along the Suez Canal and then leading a commando assault deep into Syrian territory. Netanyahu achieved the rank of captain before being discharged. After graduating from MIT with a Bachelor of Science (SB) and a Master of Science (SM), Netanyahu became an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group . He moved back to Israel in 1978 to found the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute , named after his brother Yonatan Netanyahu , who died leading Operation Entebbe . In 1984, Netanyahu was appointed the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir , a role he held until 1988. He was subsequently elected to the Knesset before becoming the leader of Likud in 1993; he then led the party to victory at the 1996 election , becoming Israel's youngest-ever prime minister. After being defeated in the 1999 election , Netanyahu left politics, returning to the private sector. He later served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance in the government of Ariel Sharon , but eventually resigned over disagreements regarding the Gaza disengagement plan . As Finance Minister, Netanyahu initiated major reforms of the Israeli economy that were credited by commentators as having significantly improved Israel's subsequent economic performance. Netanyahu returned to the leadership of Likud in December 2005 after Sharon stepped down to form a new party, Kadima . Although Likud finished second in the 2009 election to Kadima, Netanyahu was able to form a coalition government with other right-wing parties and was sworn in as Prime Minister for a second time. He went on to lead Likud to victory in the 2013 and 2015 elections . After the April 2019 election resulted in no party being able to form a government, a second election took place in September 2019; in that election, the centrist Blue and White party emerged slightly ahead of Netanyahu's Likud. However, neither Netanyahu nor Benny Gantz of the Blue and White Party was able to form a government, and Gantz returned the mandate to the president. Since December 2016, Netanyahu has been under investigation for corruption by Israeli police and prosecutors. On 21 November 2019, he was indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud. Due to the indictment, Netanyahu is legally required to relinquish all of his ministry posts other than the prime minister position. The Times of Israel . The Times of Israel .

Prime Minister of Israel (1996–1999, 2009–2021, 2022–present) "Netanyahu" redirects here. Benjamin " Bibi " Netanyahu ( / ˌ n ɛ t ən ˈ j ɑː h uː / NET -ən- YAH -hoo ; , ; born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has been serving as the prime minister of Israel since December 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. He is the chairman of the Likud party. Netanyahu is the longest-tenured prime minister in the country's history, having served for a total of over 16 years. He was also the first prime minister to be born in Israel after its Declaration of Independence . Born in Tel Aviv to secular Jewish parents, Netanyahu was raised both in Jerusalem , and for a time in Philadelphia, in the United States. He returned to Israel in 1967 to join the Israel Defense Forces . He became a team leader in the Sayeret Matkal special forces and took part in several missions, achieving the rank of captain before being honorably discharged. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Netanyahu became an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group . He moved back to Israel in 1978 to found the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute . Netanyahu rose to prominence after being elected as the chairman of Likud in 1993 , becoming Leader of the Opposition . In the 1996 election , Netanyahu beat Shimon Peres , becoming the first Israeli prime minister elected directly by popular vote, and its youngest-ever. Netanyahu and Likud were heavily defeated in the 1999 election by Ehud Barak 's One Israel party; and Netanyahu chose to retire from politics entirely, entering the private sector. Netanyahu later returned to politics, and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance under Ariel Sharon . During the latter position, he initiated reforms of the Israeli economy that led to significant growth, before ultimately resigning over disagreements regarding the Gaza disengagement plan . Netanyahu returned to the leadership of Likud in December 2005 after Sharon stepped down to form a new party, Kadima . After the 2009 election , Netanyahu formed a coalition government with other right-wing parties and was sworn in as prime minister for a second time. He went on to lead Likud to victory in the 2013 and 2015 elections . A period of political deadlock ensued after three consecutive elections in 2019 and 2020 failed to produce a government, which was solved after a coalition rotation agreement was reached between Netanyahu and centrist Blue and White alliance's Benny Gantz . The coalition collapsed In December 2020, before the rotation could take place, and a new election was held in March 2021 . In his penultimate government , Netanyahu led Israel's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis . In June 2021, after Naftali Bennett formed a government with Yair Lapid , Netanyahu was removed from the premiership, becoming opposition leader for the third time, before returning as Prime Minister again after the 2022 election . Netanyahu made his closeness to Donald Trump , a personal friend since the 1980s, central to his political appeal in Israel from 2016. During Trump's presidency , the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel , recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights , and brokered the Abraham Accords , a series of normalization agreements between Israel and various Arab states . Netanyahu has faced international criticism over his decades-long policy as prime minister of expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank , deemed illegal under international law. In 2019, Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud, following a three year investigation , due to which he relinquished all his ministry posts other than the prime minister position. Leader of the Opposition Knesset "Benjamin Netanyahu" . The New York Times . 24 October 2004 . The New York Times . The New York Times . 12 March 2015 . The Times of Israel . The Times of Israel . 23 November 2019 .

Prime Minister of Israel (1996–1999; 2009–2021; since 2022) "Netanyahu" redirects here. Benjamin " Bibi " Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician and diplomat who has served as Prime Minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, having served a total of over 17 years. Born in Tel Aviv , Netanyahu was raised in West Jerusalem and the United States. He returned to Israel in 1967 to join the Israel Defense Forces and served in the Sayeret Matkal special forces before being honorably discharged. In 1972, he returned to the US, and after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Netanyahu worked for the Boston Consulting Group before moving back to Israel in 1978 to found the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute . Between 1984 and 1988 Netanyahu was Israel's ambassador to the United Nations . Netanyahu rose to prominence after election as chair of Likud in 1993 , becoming leader of the opposition . In the 1996 general election , Netanyahu became the first Israeli prime minister elected directly by popular vote, its youngest, and the first to have been born after Israel's independence. Netanyahu was defeated in the 1999 election and entered the private sector. He returned and served as minister of foreign affairs and finance , initiating economic reforms , before resigning over the Gaza disengagement plan . Netanyahu returned to lead Likud in 2005 and was leader of the opposition between 2006 and 2009. After the 2009 legislative election , Netanyahu formed a coalition with other right-wing parties and became prime minister again. He led Likud to victory in the 2013 and 2015 elections . Netanyahu made his closeness to Donald Trump , a friend since the 1980s, central to his appeal from 2016. During Trump's first presidency , the US recognized Jerusalem as capital of Israel , Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights , and brokered the Abraham Accords between Israel and the Arab world . Netanyahu has faced criticism over expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank , deemed illegal under international law . In 2019, Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud , and relinquished all ministerial posts except prime minister. The 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis led to a rotation agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz . This collapsed in 2020, leading to a 2021 election . In June 2021, Netanyahu was removed from the premiership, before returning after the 2022 election . Netanyahu's premierships have been criticized for perceived democratic backsliding and an alleged shift towards authoritarianism. Netanyahu's coalition pursued judicial reform , which was met with large-scale protests in early 2023. The 7 October attacks by Hamas -led Palestinian groups in the same year triggered the Gaza war , with Netanyahu facing nationwide protests for the security lapse during the attack and failure to secure the return of Israeli hostages. In October 2024, he ordered an invasion of Lebanon with the stated goal of destroying the military capabilities of Hezbollah , a key ally of Hamas that helped them since the 7 October attack. After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Netanyahu directed an invasion of Syria against the current Syrian government . He also presided over the 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, which escalated into the Iran–Israel war . Netanyahu's government has been accused of genocide in Gaza, culminating in the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in November 2024 for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).