Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Benjamin Netanyahu

Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as prime minister since December 2022, following previous terms from 1996 to 1999 and 2009 to 2021, making him the longest-serving leader in the nation's history with over 17 years in office.^[1]^[2]^[3] He chairs the Likud party, which he has led since 1993, and prior to entering politics worked as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations and deputy foreign minister while building a career in business and counterterrorism advocacy after elite military service in the Sayeret Matkal commando unit during the 1967 Six-Day War and 1973 Yom Kippur War.^[4]^[5] Netanyahu's tenure has emphasized robust national security policies, including operations against Iranian entrenchment in Syria and Hezbollah threats, alongside economic liberalization efforts during his earlier stint as finance minister that spurred Israel's tech-driven growth.^[6] His leadership has drawn international acclaim for the Abraham Accords normalizing ties with Arab states but also faced domestic judicial reform protests and ongoing corruption indictments for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which he denies as politically motivated, as well as domestic and international controversy surrounding his response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the subsequent Gaza war, which he has defended as necessary self-defense.^[1]^[7]^[8]

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Childhood

Benjamin Netanyahu was born on October 21, 1949, in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Benzion Netanyahu (1910–2012) and Tzila Segal Netanyahu (1912–2000).^[9]^[1] His father, originally named Benzion Mileikowsky, was born in Warsaw under the Russian Empire and immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1920 at age 10 with his family; he later became a historian of medieval Jewish history, particularly the Spanish Inquisition's impact on Jews, and a key figure in revisionist Zionism as a disciple and secretary to Ze'ev Jabotinsky.^[10]^[11] Benzion held secular views despite his rabbinical family background and advocated uncompromising territorial claims for a Jewish state, influencing his sons through scholarly discussions on Jewish resilience against persecution.^[12] His mother, Tzila, was born in Petah Tikva during Ottoman rule and managed much of the household while Benzion pursued academic and activist roles.^[13]^[14] Netanyahu was the middle of three sons, with older brother Yonatan (1946–1976), a military officer later killed commanding the Entebbe raid, and younger brother Iddo, a physician and author.^[15]^[16] The family adhered to revisionist Zionist principles, emphasizing maximalist Jewish sovereignty amid post-independence tensions, though Benzion's career led to frequent relocations that shaped the children's exposure to both Israeli and American environments.^[17] Much of Netanyahu's childhood unfolded in Jerusalem after the family settled there post-Tel Aviv, but periods abroad marked his early years: the family resided in the United States from 1956 to 1958 and again from 1963 to 1967, coinciding with Benzion's teaching positions at institutions like Dropsie College and Cornell University.^[5]^[18] These moves exposed him to American culture during formative school years, including high school in Philadelphia, while reinforcing his father's warnings about Jewish vulnerability in the diaspora, drawn from historical precedents of assimilation and betrayal.^[19] Netanyahu later described his upbringing as steeped in intellectual debates on Zionism and survival, with Benzion prioritizing scholarly rigor over political compromise.^[20]

Formal Education and Influences

Netanyahu completed his secondary education at Cheltenham High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his family resided from 1963 to 1967 due to his father's academic position.^[16] Following his mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1973, pursuing an accelerated program that combined undergraduate and graduate studies.^[21] He earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1975 and a Master of Science in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1976, while simultaneously taking courses in political science.^[2]^[22] During this period, Netanyahu also studied political science at Harvard University, though he did not complete a degree there.^[2]^[23] His academic pursuits were marked by an intense workload across architecture, business management, and political science, reflecting a deliberate effort to apply technical and strategic skills to real-world challenges, including urban planning and economic policy.^[21] MIT professor Lawrence S. Bacow, who taught him urban studies, later described Netanyahu as exceptionally driven, noting his ambition to leverage these disciplines for practical impact rather than prolonging traditional degree timelines.^[21] This multidisciplinary approach honed his analytical rigor, evident in later writings on terrorism and strategy, such as his 1981 book Terrorism: How the West Can Win.^[21] Intellectually, Netanyahu was profoundly shaped by his father, Benzion Netanyahu, a historian of Spanish Jewry and prominent revisionist Zionist who served as executive director of the New Zionist Organization in the United States and emphasized uncompromised Jewish sovereignty and robust national defense against perceived existential threats.^[24] Benzion's adherence to the ideology of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, advocating maximalist territorial claims and rejection of partition compromises, informed Netanyahu's early worldview, prioritizing military strength and skepticism toward appeasement in international relations.^[24] These familial influences, rooted in revisionist thought rather than mainstream Zionist concessions, contrasted with academic environments at MIT and Harvard, yet reinforced Netanyahu's focus on first-principles security analysis over diplomatic multilateralism.^[24]

Military Service

Enlistment in Sayeret Matkal

Netanyahu, born in Tel Aviv in 1949 and raised partly in the United States, returned to Israel in 1967 at age 18 to fulfill his mandatory military service obligation amid the tensions leading to the Six-Day War.^[25] He enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and underwent selection for Sayeret Matkal, the IDF's premier special operations unit known for deep reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, and high-risk missions behind enemy lines.^[25]^[1] Entry into Sayeret Matkal required passing an exceptionally demanding gibush (selection process), involving physical endurance tests, psychological evaluations, and combat simulations over several weeks, with acceptance rates typically under 10% even among paratroopers. Netanyahu succeeded in this process, joining the unit as a soldier and later advancing to officer rank.^[26] His older brother, Yonatan Netanyahu, had already served as a platoon commander in the unit, potentially motivating Benjamin's ambition to join the elite force rather than standard infantry postings.^[26]^[25] Netanyahu's initial service in Sayeret Matkal spanned from 1967 to 1972, during which he participated in training emphasizing unconventional warfare tactics, including helicopter insertions and hostage rescue drills that would later define the unit's doctrine.^[1] He attained the rank of captain by the end of his active duty, reflecting demonstrated leadership in a unit that prioritized operational secrecy and merit-based promotion.^[25] This period marked his transition from American-influenced youth to frontline combat experience in Israel's defense apparatus.^[5]

Key Operations and Personal Losses

Netanyahu rose to the rank of captain in Sayeret Matkal, participating in multiple cross-border raids and counter-terrorism missions during the late 1960s and early 1970s, including operations amid the War of Attrition.^[27]^[2] A pivotal operation was Operation Isotope on April 9, 1972, targeting Sabena Flight 571 hijacked by four Black September militants en route from Brussels to Lod Airport. Disguised as mechanics, a Sayeret Matkal assault team led by Ehud Barak, with Netanyahu commanding a squad, breached the aircraft fuselage using blowtorches and engaged the hijackers in close-quarters combat, killing all four terrorists and rescuing 90 of 100 passengers and crew despite three hostage fatalities from gunfire. Netanyahu sustained a bullet wound to his arm during the firefight.^[28]^[29]^[30] During the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, Netanyahu fought on the Sinai front, leading a rescue team that extracted wounded paratrooper commander Yossi Ben-Hanan after he lay injured for hours under enemy fire; Netanyahu himself was wounded in the intense battles, contributing to his eventual discharge later that year after six years of service marked by repeated injuries.^[26]^[31]^[27] The most significant personal loss occurred post-service with the death of his brother Yonatan Netanyahu, a Sayeret Matkal commander killed by Ugandan gunfire on July 4, 1976, while leading Operation Entebbe to free over 100 hostages seized from an Air France flight; the raid succeeded in rescuing most captives but Yonatan's death as the only Israeli fatality left a lasting impact on Benjamin, shaping his emphasis on decisive military action against terrorism.^[32]^[33]^[34]

Pre-Political Career

Business and Consulting Roles

Following his completion of studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976, where he earned bachelor's degrees in architecture and business management, Benjamin Netanyahu entered the private sector by joining the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), an international management consulting firm based in Boston.^[2] There, from 1976 to 1978, he served as an economic consultant, applying analytical frameworks to business strategy problems during BCG's early expansion phase as a challenger to established consultancies. This role leveraged his dual academic background in technical design and management, focusing on operational efficiency and market positioning for clients.^[35] In 1979, Netanyahu relocated to Israel and took on the position of marketing director at Rim Industries Ltd., Jerusalem's largest furniture manufacturer at the time, where he managed sales strategies and promotional efforts for the company's product lines until around 1982.^[2] Rim specialized in upholstered and wooden furniture production, and Netanyahu's responsibilities included expanding domestic market share amid Israel's post-1973 economic challenges, drawing on his U.S.-acquired business acumen to drive revenue growth.^[36] These roles marked his primary pre-diplomatic engagements in business and consulting, bridging his academic training with practical applications in strategy and marketing before shifting toward public advocacy on terrorism via the Jonathan Institute, which he established in 1980 alongside his Rim duties.^[17]

Diplomatic Positions

In 1982, following his tenure at the Boston Consulting Group and the establishment of the Jonathan Institute to combat terrorism in memory of his brother Yonatan, Netanyahu entered Israeli diplomacy as deputy chief of mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., serving under Ambassador Meir Rosenne until 1984.^[37]^[18] In this role, he engaged in bilateral relations and advocacy for Israel's interests amid U.S. foreign policy discussions on the Middle East, including the aftermath of the 1982 Lebanon War.^[38] From 1984 to 1988, Netanyahu served as Israel's permanent representative (ambassador) to the United Nations in New York, appointed at age 34 by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. During this period, he gained international prominence for his frequent speeches defending Israel's security policies, condemning Palestinian terrorism, and criticizing the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as a terrorist entity rather than a legitimate representative of Palestinians.^[2] Notable addresses included his 1984 UN General Assembly speech highlighting Soviet arms supplies to Arab states and his opposition to resolutions equating Zionism with racism, which he argued distorted historical facts and delegitimized Jewish self-determination.^[39] Netanyahu's tenure coincided with heightened UN debates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where he consistently advocated for direct negotiations over multilateral forums he viewed as biased against Israel, amassing a reputation as an articulate hawk on counterterrorism.^[40]^[41] Netanyahu resigned from the UN ambassadorship in early 1988 to pursue domestic politics, returning to Israel ahead of the November Knesset elections, where his diplomatic experience bolstered his profile within the Likud party.^[42] His UN role, while elevating his public stature through media appearances and books like Terrorism: How the West Can Win (co-edited in 1986), drew criticism from some quarters for confrontational rhetoric that strained relations with UN member states sympathetic to Arab positions.^[5]

Rise in Israeli Politics

Entry to the Knesset and Early Roles

Netanyahu returned to Israel from his position as ambassador to the United Nations in 1988 and was elected to the 12th Knesset as a member of the Likud party.^[2]^[3] The election occurred on November 1, 1988, following a national vote where Likud secured 40 seats in the 120-member parliament.^[1] Upon entering the Knesset, Netanyahu was appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs in the government led by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, serving under Foreign Minister Moshe Arens from 1988 to 1990.^[2]^[1] In this role, he focused on international diplomacy, including efforts to counter Palestinian claims at the United Nations and build coalitions against perceived threats to Israel.^[27] He continued as deputy foreign minister until 1991, during which time he acted as a key spokesperson for Israel amid escalating tensions in the region.^[1] During the Gulf War in early 1991, Netanyahu served as Israel's principal liaison to the international media and Shamir's spokesman, addressing global concerns over Iraq's Scud missile attacks on Israeli cities and advocating for U.S.-led coalition support.^[2]^[23] From 1991 to 1992, he held a deputy ministerial position in Shamir's coalition cabinet, contributing to foreign policy formulation amid the lead-up to the Madrid Conference.^[9] Netanyahu retained his Knesset seat in the 1992 elections, despite Likud's loss of power to the Labor-led coalition, positioning him for greater influence within the opposition.^[3]

Leadership of the Likud Party

Netanyahu was elected leader of the Likud Party on March 26, 1993, defeating rivals David Levy, Ze'ev Binyamin Begin, and Moshe Katzav in the party's first leadership primary, succeeding Yitzhak Shamir.^[43]^[44] Under his tenure, he broadened the party's appeal beyond its traditional revisionist base by emphasizing economic liberalization, security hawkishness, and outreach to Soviet Jewish immigrants, contributing to Likud's unexpected victory in the May 29, 1996, Knesset elections where Netanyahu became Israel's first directly elected prime minister.^[17] Following Likud's defeat in the May 17, 1999, elections to Ehud Barak's Labor Party, Netanyahu resigned as party leader amid internal recriminations over campaign strategy and the Wye River Memorandum, which he had negotiated but later criticized as overly concessional to Palestinians.^[18] This paved the way for Ariel Sharon's election as Likud chairman in 2000, marking Netanyahu's temporary exit from party leadership; he briefly challenged Sharon in internal primaries but withdrew.^[45] Netanyahu rejoined Sharon's government as foreign minister in 2002 and finance minister in 2003, where he implemented market-oriented reforms including privatization and welfare cuts, credited with spurring Israel's economic recovery from the dot-com bust and intifada-related stagnation.^[46] He resigned from the cabinet on August 7, 2005, in opposition to Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan, positioning himself as a defender of settlement interests and national security against what he termed unilateral territorial concessions.^[47] With Sharon's departure to form Kadima in November 2005, Netanyahu won the subsequent Likud leadership election on December 19, 2005, securing 44% of the vote against Silvan Shalom and other contenders, reclaiming the post he had held over a decade earlier.^[48]^[49] Since 2005, Netanyahu has consolidated control over Likud through repeated primary victories, including 73% in August 2007 against Moshe Feiglin's ideological challenge from the party's settler-right wing, and a decisive win in December 2019 against Gideon Sa'ar amid his corruption indictments.^[50]^[51] He fended off further bids, such as Sa'ar's 2021 resignation to form New Hope and post-2021 coalition loss pressures, by leveraging personal loyalty networks, electoral successes like Likud's 30 seats in April 2019, and framing rivals as threats to right-wing unity.^[52] As of October 2025, Likud plans uncontested primaries for November 25, affirming his unchallenged status as the party's longest-serving leader, with over 30 years total tenure spanning two distinct eras.^[53]

First Term as Prime Minister (1996–1999)

Formation of Government and Key Negotiations

Following his narrow victory in Israel's first direct election for prime minister on May 29, 1996, where he received 50.50% of the vote against Shimon Peres's 49.50%, Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as prime minister on June 18, 1996.^[54]^[1] His Likud-led bloc, in alliance with Gesher and Tzomet, secured 32 seats in the concurrent Knesset elections, falling short of a majority in the 120-seat legislature. To form the twenty-seventh government, Netanyahu negotiated a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties including Shas (10 seats) and United Torah Judaism (4 seats), as well as nationalist and religious factions such as the National Religious Party (7 seats) and smaller groups like Moledet (2 seats), achieving a total of 66 seats.^[55] This fragile right-wing and religious alliance demanded concessions, such as increased funding for religious institutions and exemptions from military service for yeshiva students, in exchange for support, reflecting the coalition's emphasis on security and Jewish interests over rapid territorial concessions.^[55] The coalition's composition introduced immediate tensions, as Netanyahu balanced hawkish elements opposed to the Oslo Accords—on which he had campaigned critically—with the need to advance limited implementations to maintain international credibility. Religious parties leveraged their pivotal votes to extract policy commitments, including bolstering settlement activities and prioritizing Jerusalem's status, while Netanyahu appointed Ariel Sharon as infrastructure minister to appease settler advocates. The government's stability was tested early, with Shas briefly threatening to withdraw over budget disputes, underscoring the reliance on ideologically diverse partners who prioritized domestic religious agendas alongside security concerns.^[55] A pivotal negotiation was the Hebron Protocol, signed on January 17, 1997, which implemented the first major Israeli redeployment under Netanyahu's tenure by dividing Hebron into Palestinian-controlled Area H1 (about 80% of the city) and Israeli-controlled Area H2 (encompassing settlements and key roads). This fulfilled a delayed Oslo II obligation from 1995, with Israel withdrawing forces from 80-90% of Hebron while retaining security oversight amid concerns over Palestinian Authority (PA) capabilities. Netanyahu's cabinet approved the deal by a narrow 11-7 vote on January 16, 1997, after U.S. mediation by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who provided assurances on Palestinian compliance. The agreement included PA commitments to combat terrorism and protect Jewish holy sites, though implementation faced delays due to mutual accusations of violations.^[56]^[57]^[58] Further negotiations culminated in the Wye River Memorandum, signed on October 23, 1998, following a U.S.-hosted summit from October 15-23 at the Wye Plantation in Maryland, involving Netanyahu, PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, and President Bill Clinton. The accord outlined phased Israeli withdrawals from an additional 13% of West Bank territory (about 40 square kilometers in the first phase and 5.8% in the second), tied to PA actions such as revising the Palestinian National Charter to remove calls for Israel's destruction, arresting 30 specified terrorists, and establishing joint security patrols. In return, Israel committed to releasing 750 Palestinian prisoners and allowing more PA police into specified areas. The Knesset ratified it on November 17, 1998, by a 75-19 margin, but implementation stalled after the first phase due to Netanyahu's suspension in December 1998 amid coalition rebellions and Arafat's perceived non-compliance on incitement and prisoner releases.^[59]^[60]^[61] These talks highlighted Netanyahu's strategy of linking concessions to verifiable Palestinian security reforms, though domestic opposition from coalition hardliners limited deeper engagement.^[59]^[62]

Domestic and Security Initiatives

During his first term as prime minister from June 1996 to July 1999, Netanyahu pursued domestic economic initiatives aimed at fostering market liberalization and fiscal discipline, including the liberalization of foreign currency regulations to ease capital flows and the acceleration of privatization efforts for state-owned enterprises.^[2] These measures built on prior trends but sought to reduce government intervention, with Israel's GDP growth registering approximately 4% in 1996 amid a per capita income approaching $17,000.^[63] Netanyahu also worked to lower the budget deficit through spending controls, contributing to economic stabilization during a period of ongoing Soviet immigrant absorption, where over 400,000 arrivals from the former USSR were integrated into society since the mid-1990s, supported by policies emphasizing self-reliance among immigrant communities.^[2]^[64] On security, Netanyahu prioritized a strategy of firmness and reciprocity in countering terrorism, insisting on Palestinian compliance with interim agreements to curb attacks while advancing negotiations from a position of strength.^[2] Key initiatives included aggressive targeted killings of terrorist leaders to disrupt organizational capabilities, alongside political and economic pressures on Palestinian authorities to deter violence, enabling the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to focus operations on high-value threats.^[65] This approach yielded a marked reduction in terror fatalities, with approximately 50 Israelis killed in attacks during his tenure—compared to about 150 under Yitzhak Rabin (1992–1995) and 300 under Shimon Peres (1995–1996)—including fewer suicide bombings due to proactive interdictions and intelligence-driven measures.^[65]^[2] Public opinion in Israel credited the policy's emphasis on preemptive action for restoring deterrence after the wave of Oslo-era violence, though critics argued it strained peace efforts.^[65]

Electoral Defeat and Aftermath

In the direct election for prime minister held on May 17, 1999, Benjamin Netanyahu was defeated by Ehud Barak of the Labor Party, with Barak securing 56.08% of the vote to Netanyahu's 43.92%.^[66] The vote followed a no-confidence motion against Netanyahu's coalition government earlier that year, triggered by internal instability and failure to pass key legislation, including the 1999 budget.^[67] Netanyahu conceded defeat approximately 30 minutes after polls closed, citing exit polls that forecasted a decisive Barak victory, marking the end of his tenure as Israel's first directly elected prime minister.^[68] Voter turnout reached 78.7%, reflecting widespread public engagement amid polarized debates over security, the Oslo peace process, and economic policy.^[69] The loss stemmed primarily from voter fatigue with Netanyahu's leadership style, characterized by coalition fragilities—his government had collapsed multiple times due to disputes with ultra-Orthodox and far-right partners—and perceived indecisiveness on peace negotiations, including partial implementation of the Wye River Memorandum.^[70] While Netanyahu's administration oversaw GDP growth averaging 3.5% annually and reduced unemployment from 8.6% to 6.7%, these gains were overshadowed by ongoing Palestinian violence during the lingering effects of the Second Intifada's precursors and criticisms of divisiveness that alienated centrist voters.^[67] Barak's campaign emphasized a balanced approach of pursuing peace with robust security guarantees, appealing to a broad coalition including Russian immigrants and Sephardic voters disillusioned with Likud infighting.^[69] Analysts noted the election as a personal verdict on Netanyahu, with approval ratings dipping below 20% in polls leading up to the vote due to these factors rather than outright policy rejection.^[70] Following the defeat, Netanyahu resigned as Likud chairman and announced his departure from the Knesset and active politics on May 27, 1999, stating he needed time for family and reflection after the intense campaign.^[71] This paved the way for Ariel Sharon to assume interim leadership of the party, later confirmed in a September 1999 primary.^[72] Netanyahu retreated to his Caesarea residence, where he contemplated a return to private enterprise, amid reports of strained relations with party rivals and public scrutiny over campaign finances.^[73] The transition to Barak's government proceeded smoothly by July 6, 1999, but Likud's Knesset seats fell to 19 from 32 in 1996, underscoring the right-wing's electoral setback and setting the stage for internal party reforms under Sharon.^[67]

Return to Power and Economic Reforms

Tenure as Finance Minister (2003–2005)

Netanyahu was appointed Israel's Minister of Finance on February 9, 2003, under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, following the resignation of the previous incumbent amid economic turmoil from the Second Intifada.^[74] He was granted significant autonomy to pursue reforms, with Sharon agreeing to support his initiatives in exchange for Netanyahu's backing of broader government policies.^[75] In April 2003, Netanyahu unveiled the Economic Recovery Plan, which emphasized fiscal austerity, including substantial budget cuts totaling about 4% of GDP, reductions in public spending, and structural changes to curb government intervention in the economy.^[75] ^[74] Central to his agenda were efforts to liberalize the economy through privatization and deregulation. Netanyahu accelerated the sale of state-owned enterprises, including major assets in banking, shipping, and infrastructure, aiming to dismantle monopolies and enhance market competition.^[74] ^[76] He also reformed pension systems by shifting public sector pensions toward defined-contribution models, cutting benefits for new retirees, and adjusting wage structures to align with private-sector norms, which reduced long-term fiscal liabilities.^[77] Tax policies were overhauled to lower rates and broaden the base: corporate tax was reduced from 36% to 30%, personal income tax brackets were adjusted downward, and the overall tax burden fell from 40.1% of gross national product in 2002 to approximately 35% by 2005, incorporating mechanisms like negative income tax to support low earners without expanding welfare dependency.^[78] ^[79] Welfare reforms included slashing child allowances by up to 40% for larger families and eliminating income supplements, redirecting savings toward deficit reduction rather than redistribution.^[80] These measures faced opposition from labor unions and left-leaning groups, who argued they disproportionately burdened vulnerable populations, though Netanyahu contended they were essential to avert fiscal collapse.^[81] ^[74] The reforms yielded measurable macroeconomic improvements. Israel's budget deficit shrank from 6.4% of GDP in 2003 to near balance by 2005, while public debt-to-GDP ratio declined from around 100% to 80%, facilitated by revenue growth from expanded economic activity rather than tax hikes.^[79] GDP growth rebounded from contraction in 2001-2002 to an average of 4-5% annually by 2005, with unemployment easing from a peak of 10.7% in 2003 toward 8.5%.^[82] ^[79] Per capita income rose steadily, positioning Israel for stronger global competitiveness, though critics in academic and media circles, often aligned with interventionist views, attributed early recovery partly to external factors like U.S. aid and tech sector resilience rather than domestic policy alone.^[78] ^[83] Netanyahu resigned on August 7, 2005, citing irreconcilable differences with Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan, which he viewed as undermining security without economic rationale, marking the end of his tenure amid ongoing implementation of his fiscal blueprint.^[74] His policies laid groundwork for sustained growth in subsequent years, though they sparked debates on inequality, with data showing widened income disparities during the period due to selective welfare reductions.^[80] ^[76]

Opposition Leadership (2005–2009)

Netanyahu resigned as Finance Minister on August 7, 2005, during a cabinet meeting approving the initial stages of the Gaza disengagement plan, contending that the unilateral withdrawal would embolden terrorist groups by providing them a base of operations without reciprocal security guarantees.^[84]^[85]^[86] His departure highlighted deepening divisions within Likud over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's policies, as Netanyahu urged party members to oppose the pullout through public referenda or legislative blocks, though these efforts failed to halt implementation.^[46] After Sharon's formation of the centrist Kadima party in November 2005, Netanyahu contested the Likud leadership primary, securing victory on December 19, 2005, with approximately 45% of the vote against Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom's 32%, positioning himself to lead the party's hawkish wing amid internal recriminations over the disengagement.^[48]^[45]^[87] As the new opposition leader, he emphasized reversing perceived concessions, prioritizing economic liberalization sustained from his prior tenure, and bolstering defenses against Palestinian militancy and Hezbollah threats.^[88] In the March 28, 2006, Knesset elections—held after Sharon's incapacitation and Ehud Olmert's ascension—Likud under Netanyahu won just 12 seats, its poorest performance in history, as voters shifted toward Kadima's promise of further West Bank realignments and disillusionment with Likud's internal strife eroded support.^[89]^[90] Netanyahu retained leadership despite the rout, vowing to rebuild by critiquing the coalition's security lapses, particularly during the July–August 2006 Second Lebanon War, where Hezbollah's rocket barrages and cross-border incursion exposed Israeli vulnerabilities.^[91] Netanyahu initially endorsed the war's objectives to neutralize Hezbollah but swiftly condemned Olmert's execution as indecisive, demanding the prime minister's resignation for failing to achieve deterrence or dismantle the group's infrastructure, a stance echoed in polls showing Netanyahu's approval surging to 58% post-conflict amid widespread public discontent.^[92] The April 2007 interim Winograd Commission report corroborated these critiques, faulting Olmert's unpreparedness and strategic errors, which further eroded the government's legitimacy and elevated Netanyahu as Likud's standard-bearer for robust counterterrorism and military readiness.^[91] Throughout 2007–2008, as opposition leader, Netanyahu hammered Olmert's administration over corruption scandals, stalled peace efforts with the Palestinian Authority, and inadequate responses to rocket fire from Gaza, while advocating privatization expansions and fiscal restraint to counter rising budget deficits.^[45] He navigated coalition overtures from Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas to broaden Likud's appeal, rejecting premature alliances that might dilute its platform. By the February 10, 2009, elections, Likud rebounded to 27 seats—the largest bloc despite Kadima's 28—enabling Netanyahu to forge a March 2009 coalition with right-wing partners, marking the end of his opposition tenure and return to premiership.^[93]

Extended Premiership (2009–2021)

Second Term (2009–2013): Coalition Building and Early Policies

Following the 10 February 2009 Knesset elections, in which Likud secured 27 seats compared to Kadima's 28, President Shimon Peres tasked Tzipi Livni with forming a government, but she failed after 42 days.^[94]^[95] Peres then mandated Netanyahu on 20 February, enabling him to assemble a broad coalition by 31 March, including Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu (15 seats), Shas (11 seats), The Jewish Home (3 seats), and United Torah Judaism (5 seats), totaling 74 seats.^[94]^[96] Labor joined later in April as a minority partner with 13 seats, providing Ehud Barak as defense minister, forming Israel's largest-ever cabinet with 30 ministers to balance hawkish and centrist elements amid economic recovery needs post-2008 global crisis.^[96] Netanyahu prioritized security and economic stability in early governance, continuing fiscal conservatism while addressing U.S. pressure under President Obama on settlements. In his 14 June 2009 Bar-Ilan University speech, he conditionally endorsed a Palestinian state—demilitarized, recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, rejecting refugee return to Israel proper, and maintaining Israeli control over Jerusalem and major settlement blocs—but opposed a full construction freeze, citing natural growth needs.^[97]^[98] Under U.S. mediation, he announced a 10-month moratorium on new West Bank housing starts (excluding East Jerusalem) on 25 November 2009, approving 2,500 units in the Gilo neighborhood simultaneously, which the U.S. accepted as a concession despite Palestinian rejection for lacking comprehensiveness.^[99]^[100] Domestically, the coalition advanced ultra-Orthodox demands like increased child allowances, straining budgets but securing haredi support, while Netanyahu's government initiated infrastructure projects and tax cuts to spur growth, achieving 3.4% GDP expansion in 2010 from prior reforms.^[101] Security policies emphasized deterrence, including naval blockades on Gaza post-Operation Cast Lead, amid rocket threats, with coalition hawks like Lieberman pushing citizenship loyalty oaths, passed in preliminary readings but diluting internal debates.^[102] This setup navigated ideological tensions, prioritizing stability over rapid peace advances, as evidenced by stalled direct talks until 2010.^[97]

Third Term (2013–2021): Sustained Governance and Major Challenges

Netanyahu secured a third term as prime minister following the January 22, 2013, Knesset elections, where his Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu alliance obtained 31 seats, down from 42 in the prior election, amid a fragmented result that included strong showings by the centrist Yesh Atid party with 19 seats.^[103]^[104] Despite the reduced margin, he formed a coalition government on March 15, 2013, incorporating Yesh Atid, the Jewish Home party, and Shas, totaling 68 seats and emphasizing economic reforms, haredi draft exemptions, and settlement policies.^[105] This coalition faced internal tensions, leading to its partial dissolution by December 2014 after disputes over the budget and draft laws, prompting early elections in March 2015.^[106] During this period, Netanyahu's governments pursued sustained economic policies building on prior liberalization, achieving average annual GDP growth of approximately 3.5% from 2013 to 2019, driven by high-tech exports and low unemployment dipping below 4% by 2019, though critics attributed rising housing costs and inequality to insufficient regulatory interventions.^[107] Security initiatives included bolstering Iron Dome defenses, which intercepted over 90% of rockets during escalations, and expanding military budgets to counter threats from Gaza and Hezbollah.^[108] In 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in response to Hamas rocket barrages exceeding 4,500 projectiles since the prior conflict, resulting in 73 Israeli deaths (mostly soldiers) and over 2,100 Palestinian fatalities, with the IDF targeting tunnels and command structures amid urban warfare challenges.^[109]^[110] Foreign policy highlighted Netanyahu's vocal opposition to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, which he addressed in a March 3, 2015, speech to the U.S. Congress, warning it legitimized Iran's nuclear program and provided sanctions relief funding terrorism without adequate inspections, a stance echoed by subsequent U.S. withdrawal in 2018.^[111]^[112] Relations with the Obama administration strained over settlement expansions and the Iran deal, though ties improved under Trump, culminating in the 2020 Abraham Accords normalizing relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, which Netanyahu hailed as advancing peace without Palestinian concessions and countering Iran through economic integration.^[113]^[114] Major challenges intensified with recurring elections—2015 (Likud gaining to 30 seats), April 2019 (deadlock at 35 seats for Likud), September 2019 (similar stalemate), and March 2020 (Likud at 36 seats)—stemming from coalition impasses and opposition from Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.^[115]^[116] Corruption investigations, initiated in late 2016 by Israeli police, culminated in Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's February 2019 recommendation for indictments on bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three cases: Case 1000 (gifts from benefactors), Case 2000 (media influence for favorable coverage), and Case 4000 (regulatory favors to Bezeq telecom).^[117]^[118] Netanyahu denied wrongdoing, labeling probes a "witch hunt" by biased institutions, while forming a May 2020 unity government with Gantz amid COVID-19, which allocated emergency funds exceeding 200 billion shekels but dissolved by December 2020 over disputes.^[119]^[1] Escalations persisted, including the May 2021 Gaza conflict with Hamas firing over 4,000 rockets, prompting Israeli airstrikes killing 256 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.^[110] Netanyahu's term ended June 13, 2021, when a Bennett-Lapid coalition ousted him via a 60-59 Knesset vote, marking the conclusion of 12 consecutive years in power.^[120]

Fourth Term as Prime Minister (2022–Present)

Government Formation and Judicial Reform

Following the November 1, 2022, Knesset election, in which Likud secured 32 seats and allied right-wing parties collectively achieved a 64-seat majority in the 120-seat parliament, Benjamin Netanyahu was tasked with forming Israel's 37th government.^[121]^[122] Netanyahu announced the coalition agreement on December 21, 2022, comprising Likud, the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties, and the right-wing Religious Zionism alliance (including Otzma Yehudit).^[123] The government was sworn in on December 29, 2022, marking Netanyahu's sixth term as prime minister and the most right-leaning coalition in Israeli history, with key portfolios allocated to ultranationalist figures such as Itamar Ben-Gvir as national security minister and Bezalel Smotrich overseeing settlements and finance.^[124]^[125] A central early agenda item was judicial reform, driven by long-standing critiques from Netanyahu and coalition partners that the judiciary wielded excessive unchecked power, including the ability to annul government decisions via the "reasonableness" doctrine. Justice Minister Yariv Levin introduced the reform package in January 2023, proposing changes to judicial selection (shifting control toward elected officials), limiting the Supreme Court's override of Knesset laws, and curtailing the reasonableness standard for reviewing administrative actions.^[126]^[127] Proponents argued the measures would restore democratic balance by aligning judicial authority with elected branches, while opponents, including opposition parties, legal experts, and civil society groups, contended they risked eroding checks on executive power and enabling corruption amid Netanyahu's ongoing trials.^[128] The proposals ignited unprecedented protests beginning in January 2023, involving hundreds of thousands weekly, general strikes, and refusals by thousands of military reservists to serve, fracturing national unity and drawing international concern over Israel's democratic institutions.^[129] Netanyahu paused the full package on March 27, 2023, to pursue dialogue, but the Knesset passed the reasonableness amendment on July 24, 2023, by a 64-0 vote in the coalition's narrow majority.^[130] In a landmark ruling on January 1, 2024, Israel's Supreme Court struck down the amendment 8-7, asserting its authority to review Basic Laws for the first time and deeming the change a disproportionate threat to judicial independence and the rule of law; an 12-3 majority affirmed the court's power to invalidate such legislation.^[131]^[132] Subsequent reform efforts stalled amid the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and ensuing war, though tensions persisted into 2024 with debates over judicial appointments.^[133]

October 7, 2023, Hamas Attack and Gaza War

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a coordinated assault from Gaza into southern Israel, involving thousands of rockets, ground incursions via paragliders and breached border fences, and attacks on civilian communities and a music festival. The militants killed approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, including over 800 in their homes, kibbutzim, and at the Nova music festival site.^[134]^[135] Around 250 individuals were taken hostage to Gaza, with over 45 still held captive as of October 2025.^[136] Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was in the midst of domestic political challenges including judicial reform protests, convened an emergency security cabinet meeting that evening and addressed the nation, vowing severe retaliation against Hamas.^[137] Netanyahu declared a state of war on October 8, 2023, authorizing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to pursue Hamas leadership and dismantle its military infrastructure in Gaza. The stated objectives included eliminating Hamas's capacity to govern and attack Israel, rescuing all hostages, and preventing future threats from the territory, with Netanyahu emphasizing that "Hamas will pay the price" for the atrocities.^[138] He formed a unity war cabinet including opposition leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, sidelining far-right coalition partners from direct decision-making to broaden domestic support. The IDF initiated airstrikes followed by a ground invasion in late October 2023, targeting Hamas tunnels, command centers, and rocket sites, which Netanyahu described as necessary to achieve "total victory" over the group.^[139] The ensuing Gaza campaign, extending into its third year by October 2025, resulted in significant IDF-reported successes, including the deaths of thousands of Hamas fighters—estimated at around 14,000 militants by mid-2025—and the neutralization of much of Hamas's rocket arsenal and leadership, such as Yahya Sinwar in October 2024. Gaza's Hamas-controlled Health Ministry reported over 67,000 deaths by early October 2025, figures that include combatants and have been criticized for lack of independent verification, potential inflation, and failure to distinguish between civilians and fighters; IDF assessments indicate a higher proportion of military casualties, with civilian deaths attributed partly to Hamas's use of human shields and embedding in populated areas.^[140]^[141] Netanyahu rejected ceasefire proposals that did not meet Israel's goals, insisting on continued operations to demilitarize Gaza and secure long-term deterrence.^[142] The attack exposed systemic intelligence failures, including ignored warnings from IDF and Shin Bet about Hamas preparations, such as the "Jericho Wall" training exercises simulating the incursion, and a specific alert to Netanyahu's office hours before the assault that was not escalated. Netanyahu acknowledged overall governmental responsibility but attributed primary blame to military and intelligence agencies, resisting calls for an independent state inquiry in favor of internal reviews, arguing external probes would be politically biased. Public protests intensified against his leadership, accusing him of prioritizing political survival over security preparedness, though Netanyahu maintained the focus must remain on wartime objectives rather than scapegoating.^[143]^[137]^[144] By August 2025, the security cabinet approved plans for expanded control over Gaza City to enforce disarming and hostage return, signaling Netanyahu's commitment to indefinite military pressure until Hamas capitulates.^[139]

Regional Escalations: Syria Invasion and Iran Strikes

Following the collapse of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) advanced into the demilitarized buffer zone in southwestern Syria, adjacent to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, to neutralize residual threats from Iranian-backed militias and secure strategic positions including Mount Hermon.^[145]^[146] On December 9, 2024, Israel executed airstrikes targeting over 50 military sites across Syria, including weapon depots and air defense systems linked to the former regime and Hezbollah supply lines.^[145] Prime Minister Netanyahu described these operations as essential to preventing the transfer of advanced weaponry to hostile groups and affirmed that IDF forces would remain in the buffer zone and Mount Hermon indefinitely to enforce border security.^[146] By early 2025, Israel's ground presence expanded to approximately 400 square kilometers in southern Syria, effectively voiding the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria, as Netanyahu argued it no longer held after Assad's fall and amid risks of jihadist or Iranian resurgence.^[147] In February 2025, Netanyahu publicly demanded the complete demilitarization of southern Syria up to 40 kilometers from the border, rejecting any foreign troop deployments without Israeli approval and vowing to dismantle remaining Iranian entrenchments.^[148] These actions dismantled key Iranian proxy infrastructure, including Hezbollah outposts, but drew international criticism for potentially destabilizing Syria's transition, though Netanyahu maintained they were defensive responses to post-October 7, 2023, threats from Tehran's "axis of resistance."^[149] Parallel to Syrian operations, Israel escalated direct strikes against Iran, building on tit-for-tat exchanges in 2024. After Iran's April 13, 2024, barrage of over 300 drones and missiles—prompted by an Israeli strike on Iran's Damascus consulate—Israel retaliated with targeted hits on air defenses near Isfahan nuclear facilities on April 19.^[150] Iran launched another 180 ballistic missiles on October 1, 2024, following Israeli assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders; Israel responded on October 26 with precision strikes on Iranian missile production sites and radars, avoiding nuclear or oil targets to limit escalation.^[150] The most significant confrontation occurred on June 13, 2025, when Israel initiated preemptive airstrikes using warplanes and pre-positioned drones to hit Iran's core nuclear infrastructure at Natanz and Fordow, as well as conventional military bases, killing at least three top Revolutionary Guard generals.^[151]^[152] Netanyahu framed the operation as a necessary degradation of Iran's nuclear breakout capability, which intelligence indicated was advancing toward weapons-grade enrichment despite IAEA monitoring lapses.^[152]^[153] Iran retaliated with missile salvos causing limited damage in Israel, but both sides de-escalated short of all-out war, with the strikes reportedly setting back Iran's nuclear program by years while exposing vulnerabilities in its air defenses.^[151]^[153] These moves under Netanyahu's leadership capitalized on the weakening of Iran's regional proxies after the Gaza war and Assad's ouster, aiming to reestablish deterrence without broader conflict.^[154]

Policy Positions and Achievements

Economic Reforms and Growth

During his tenure as Finance Minister from March 2003 to August 2005, Netanyahu implemented a series of market-oriented reforms aimed at addressing Israel's economic recession exacerbated by the Second Intifada, which had led to a contraction in GDP and rising public debt. Central to these efforts were sharp reductions in government spending, equivalent to about 3% of GDP annually, alongside privatization of state assets such as banks and utilities, and measures to dismantle monopolies in sectors like food and telecommunications.^[155]^[74] These steps reduced the government's fiscal footprint, with public expenditure curbed to stabilize the shekel and reverse deflationary pressures.^[156] Tax policy reforms formed a cornerstone, including a reduction in the top marginal individual income tax rate from 64% to 44% and corporate tax rates from 36% to lower levels phased over time, alongside cuts in value-added tax and incentives for investment.^[79]^[157] These changes, justified by Netanyahu as necessary to boost labor participation and entrepreneurship, resulted in tax revenues rising as a share of economic activity post-implementation, with total tax burden falling from 35.6% of GDP in 2000 to 30.5% by 2015, contrary to predictions of revenue shortfalls.^[79] Empirical outcomes included accelerated GDP growth from negative territory in 2002 to an average of over 4% annually by 2005-2007, unemployment dropping from 10.7% in 2003 to below 7% by 2008, and a surge in foreign direct investment, laying groundwork for Israel's high-tech sector expansion.^[76]^[79] As Prime Minister from 2009 onward, Netanyahu sustained and expanded these pro-growth policies, emphasizing deregulation, low corporate taxes (further reduced to 18% by 2016), and support for innovation hubs, which propelled Israel to become known as the "Start-Up Nation" with R&D spending at 4.9% of GDP by 2019, the highest globally.^[79]^[156] Real GDP per capita rose from $27,512 in 2009 to $40,731 by 2020, outpacing many OECD peers, driven by tech exports comprising over 50% of total exports by the mid-2010s and annual growth averaging 3.5% through the 2010s, though partly attributable to employment gains rather than pure productivity surges.^[80]^[158] Critics, including analyses from left-leaning outlets, have noted uneven benefits, with inequality rising as measured by Gini coefficients climbing to 0.35 by 2018, yet aggregate data affirm the reforms' role in transforming a socialist-leaning economy into a dynamic market-driven one resilient to external shocks.^[81]^[159]

Security and Counter-Terrorism Measures

Netanyahu has prioritized proactive counter-terrorism strategies emphasizing intelligence-driven preemption, technological defenses, and targeted operations to disrupt terrorist networks, particularly those of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian proxies. During his premierships, Israel under his leadership expanded multi-layered missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome, which was first deployed operationally on March 27, 2011, successfully intercepting Gaza-launched rockets aimed at populated areas.^[160] By 2019, the system had intercepted thousands of projectiles, with Netanyahu crediting it for saving countless lives amid barrages from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, while securing U.S. funding exceeding $1 billion to bolster deployment.^[161] This approach reflects a doctrine of deterrence through denial, minimizing civilian casualties from rocket fire without conceding territory.^[162] Border security infrastructure has been a cornerstone, with Netanyahu overseeing the construction of advanced fences along the Gaza border, completed in 2021, featuring underground barriers, sensors, and automated machine guns to prevent infiltrations by Hamas militants.^[163] Similarly, expansions to the West Bank security barrier, initiated earlier but fortified under his governments, reduced suicide bombings by over 90% post-Second Intifada, as evidenced by sharp declines in attacks crossing from Palestinian areas after 2003.^[164] These physical measures, combined with heightened IDF patrols and raids, aimed to contain threats from groups like Hamas, though vulnerabilities were exposed in the October 7, 2023, breach, prompting Netanyahu's subsequent vows for fortified northern and eastern borders against Hezbollah and West Bank militants.^[165] Targeted killings of terrorist leaders have intensified under Netanyahu, with Israeli operations eliminating key figures such as Hamas military chief Yahya Sinwar in October 2024 and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, disrupting command structures and operational capabilities.^[166] Innovative tactics, including the September 2024 exploding pager operation against Hezbollah operatives—hailed by Netanyahu as the "first mass targeted assassination in history"—demonstrated precision intelligence integration, killing or injuring thousands of militants while minimizing collateral damage.^[167] These actions, often executed via Mossad and IDF special forces, align with Netanyahu's long-standing policy of holding terror sponsors accountable, extending to over 365 Hezbollah members eliminated since October 2023.^[168] Aerial campaigns against Iranian entrenchment in Syria, numbering hundreds of strikes confirmed by Netanyahu since 2017, have prevented weapons transfers to Hezbollah, including precision-guided missiles and drones.^[169] Notable operations include the May 2018 assault on nearly all Iranian military infrastructure in Syria and repeated hits on nuclear-related sites, as in June 2025 strikes on Tehran facilities, underscoring Netanyahu's strategy of degrading Iran's proxy axis to avert direct threats to Israel.^[170]^[171] This preemptive posture, rooted in first-hand experience from the 1976 Entebbe raid honoring his brother, has maintained low terror penetration rates in Israel proper compared to pre-2009 levels, though critics from biased outlets question sustainability without broader diplomatic shifts.^[18]

Diplomatic Accomplishments

Netanyahu oversaw the Abraham Accords, a series of bilateral normalization agreements signed in 2020 between Israel and four Arab states: the United Arab Emirates on September 15, Bahrain on September 11, Sudan on October 23, and Morocco on December 10.^[172] These pacts established full diplomatic relations, including embassy exchanges, direct flights, trade deals, and security cooperation, without preconditions related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, diverging from prior Arab League stipulations.^[113] The accords facilitated over $3 billion in annual bilateral trade with the UAE alone by 2023 and joint ventures in technology, energy, and tourism, enhancing Israel's regional integration.^[172] Under Netanyahu's third term, Israel deepened strategic ties with India, culminating in his state visit from January 14 to 19, 2018, which marked 25 years of formal diplomatic relations established in 1992.^[173] The visit yielded agreements on cybersecurity, agriculture innovation, and defense, including joint production of missile systems; bilateral trade reached $10.7 billion by 2022, with India becoming Israel's third-largest trading partner.^[174] Netanyahu's emphasis on shared interests in counter-terrorism and technology transfer positioned India as a counterweight to traditional non-aligned stances, fostering military sales exceeding $2 billion annually in drones and surveillance systems.^[175] Netanyahu's diplomacy with the United States under President Trump advanced several recognitions aligned with long-standing Israeli positions, including the U.S. relocation of its embassy to Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, acknowledging it as Israel's capital, and the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights on March 25, 2019.^[113] These steps, preceded by Netanyahu's congressional address opposing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal on March 3, 2015, reinforced U.S.-Israel alignment against Iranian influence, leading to the accords' framework and over $25 billion in U.S. military aid commitments through 2028.^[172] Such outcomes expanded Israel's diplomatic maneuverability, prioritizing alliances with Sunni Arab states and rising powers over stalled Palestinian negotiations.

Controversies and Criticisms

Corruption Trials and Legal Battles

In November 2019, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust across three cases (numbered 1000, 2000, and 4000), marking the first time an incumbent Israeli leader faced criminal prosecution while in office.^[176]^[118] The charges stemmed from investigations launched in 2016 by Israeli police, which alleged quid pro quo arrangements involving personal benefits, media influence, and regulatory decisions, though Netanyahu has consistently denied wrongdoing, characterizing the proceedings as a politically orchestrated "witch hunt" by left-leaning elites and media opponents.^[177]^[118] Case 1000 involved allegations of fraud and breach of trust, centered on Netanyahu and his wife Sara accepting approximately 700,000 shekels (about $200,000) in gifts—including cigars, champagne, and jewelry—from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer between 2007 and 2016.^[178] Prosecutors claimed these donors received favors in return, such as Netanyahu's advocacy for Milchan's U.S. visa extensions and tax legislation benefiting returning Israeli expatriates, though no bribery charge was filed due to insufficient evidence of explicit quid pro quo.^[178] Netanyahu's defense argued the gifts were from personal friends without strings attached, a practice not uncommon among politicians, and that acceptance reflected cultural norms rather than corruption.^[177] Case 2000 accused Netanyahu of fraud and breach of trust for negotiating with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth, in recorded 2016–2017 conversations to secure more favorable coverage of Netanyahu in exchange for supporting legislation that would limit circulation of his rival paper, Israel Hayom, owned by Sheldon Adelson.^[178] The deal allegedly collapsed when talks leaked, but prosecutors viewed the discussions as an illicit attempt to trade regulatory influence for biased media treatment.^[178] Netanyahu countered that the talks were exploratory and aimed at promoting press pluralism, not personal gain, dismissing them as "nonsense" in court testimony.^[179] Case 4000, the most severe with a bribery charge, alleged that as communications minister from 2014 to 2017, Netanyahu granted regulatory approvals worth hundreds of millions of shekels to Bezeq telecom—controlled by businessman Shaul Elovitch—in return for positive coverage on Elovitch's Walla news website, which shifted from critical to supportive of Netanyahu, including suppressing negative stories about his family.^[178]^[177] Evidence included witness testimonies from former Walla executives and internal communications showing editorial interference, potentially carrying a 10-year prison term if convicted.^[176] The defense has challenged the credibility of cooperating witnesses, portraying them as self-interested and noting evidentiary weaknesses, such as reliance on circumstantial links rather than direct proof of bribery.^[180] The trial commenced in May 2020 at Tel Aviv District Court but faced repeated delays due to COVID-19, Netanyahu's scheduling conflicts, and procedural disputes; by December 2024, over 120 prosecution witnesses had testified before Netanyahu took the stand for the first time on December 10, describing the charges as an "ocean of absurdities, fabrications, and lies."^[181]^[182]^[179] As of October 2025, proceedings remain ongoing amid Netanyahu's requests for reduced hearing days— rejected by the court on October 26—to accommodate his prime ministerial duties, with his legal team threatening to withdraw if demands are unmet.^[183]^[184] Further delays occurred in June 2025 for diplomatic reasons, highlighting tensions between judicial demands and national security priorities.^[185] Critics, including legal analysts, have questioned the prosecution's evidentiary foundation in lighter cases like 1000 and 2000, suggesting political motivations given the timing post-2015 elections and involvement of opposition-aligned investigators.^[180] No verdict has been reached, and Netanyahu continues to lead the government without legal impediment under Israeli law, which presumes innocence until proven guilty.^[176]

Accusations of Democratic Erosion

Critics, including opposition figures and civil society groups, have accused Netanyahu's governments of eroding democratic institutions primarily through efforts to reform Israel's judiciary, which they claim undermine judicial independence and concentrate power in the executive and legislature. In 2023, Netanyahu's coalition advanced a judicial overhaul package that included limiting the Supreme Court's power to strike down laws deemed "unreasonable" and altering judge selection processes to give politicians greater influence, prompting massive protests and warnings from figures like former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak that it would end the "liberal democratic era" in Israel.^[186]^[187] These reforms were partially paused amid unrest but resumed, culminating in a March 27, 2025, Knesset law that expanded elected officials' control over judicial appointments, defying ongoing protests and drawing condemnation from outlets like The Guardian as a "tightening grip" on the judiciary.^[188]^[189] Detractors, such as those cited in analyses from the Middle East Institute, argue these measures reflect a broader pattern of democratic backsliding, motivated in part by Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trials, where a weakened judiciary could shield him from accountability.^[190] Accusations extend to perceived attacks on media freedom, with Netanyahu's administration criticized for curtailing press independence amid political pressures. In November 2024, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi's proposals to regulate media outlets, including fines for perceived bias, as direct threats to pluralism, noting the government's targeting of critical broadcasters like Kan and Channel 12.^[191] By April 2025, Netanyahu began boycotting major Israeli media outlets, granting interviews primarily to sympathetic platforms like Channel 14, which Haaretz described as curating a one-sided public image and exacerbating information silos during wartime.^[192] Further restrictions emerged in June 2025, when the government issued directives limiting media coverage of operations against Iran, including censorship of strike details, prompting Al Jazeera to highlight risks to transparency in conflict reporting.^[193] Critics from organizations like the Nieman Foundation have linked these actions to a longer-term strategy, including past attempts to influence media ownership, as outlined in Brandeis University assessments of backsliding under Netanyahu's tenure.^[194]^[195] Post-October 7, 2023, accusations intensified, with observers alleging Netanyahu exploited the Hamas attack and ensuing Gaza war to consolidate power and sideline democratic oversight. Reports from The Conversation in July 2024 pointed to expanded emergency powers, trial delays, and suppression of dissent as accelerating backsliding, including efforts to appoint a government-controlled inquiry into the attack that sidelined independent probes and incorporated anti-protest narratives.^[196]^[197] A July 2025 New York Times analysis claimed Netanyahu prolonged the conflict to maintain his coalition and evade legal reckoning, citing internal divisions and policy blocks on ceasefires that prioritized political survival over resolution.^[198] Such claims, echoed in Journal of Democracy pieces, frame Israel's protests as a fading "last safeguard" against executive overreach, though surveys from 2019-2021 indicate stronger Netanyahu support correlates with tolerance for reduced liberal norms.^[199]^[200] Netanyahu and allies counter that reforms address an activist judiciary's historical overreach—evident in rulings against elected policies—and that wartime measures are necessary for security, not erosion, as argued in Middle East Forum defenses of the overhaul as a "democratic correction."^[201] These debates highlight polarized interpretations, with critics often from opposition-aligned or international human rights circles potentially amplified by institutional biases against right-wing governance.^[202]

International Legal Actions and War Crimes Claims

On 20 May 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan applied for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alleging their responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza stemming from policies restricting humanitarian aid and directing military operations.^[203] On 21 November 2024, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I issued the warrant for Netanyahu, charging him with war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare under Article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the Rome Statute and intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population under Article 8(2)(b)(i), as well as crimes against humanity including murder under Article 7(1)(a), persecution under Article 7(1)(h), and other inhumane acts under Article 7(1)(k).^[204] ^[205] The temporal scope covers conduct from at least 8 October 2023—one day after the Hamas attack on Israel—to at least 20 May 2024, attributing responsibility to Netanyahu in his capacity as Prime Minister for overarching policies on aid restrictions and attacks purportedly causing civilian harm and deprivation.^[204] The Chamber rejected Israel's challenges under Articles 18 and 19 of the Statute, ruling that jurisdiction exists over Gaza as territory of the State of Palestine—a 2021 ICC decision Israel disputes—and that the investigation, authorized in 2021, did not require fresh deferral notifications.^[204] Israel, a non-party to the Rome Statute, maintains the ICC lacks authority over its nationals, viewing the warrants as politically motivated and equating them to antisemitic targeting, while noting the simultaneous issuance of warrants for three Hamas leaders—Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Ismail Haniyeh—for October 7 atrocities including murder, extermination, rape, and hostage-taking.^[204] Netanyahu remains at large, with the warrant binding 124 ICC states parties to arrest and surrender him upon entry; enforcement varies, as Canada affirmed compliance in October 2025, while the U.S. denounced the decision as "outrageous" and imposed sanctions on ICC officials in response.^[206] In July 2025, the ICC rejected Israel's bid to withdraw the warrants.^[207] Broader war crimes claims against Netanyahu arise from NGO and UN reports alleging systematic civilian targeting and aid blockades during the Gaza campaign, though these lack prosecutorial weight. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented purported violations like disproportionate strikes and restrictions exacerbating famine risks, attributing policy-level culpability to Israeli leadership.^[208] A September 2025 UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded Israel committed acts of genocide in Gaza, including killings and conditions calculated to destroy Palestinians, implicating senior officials without naming Netanyahu individually; the report's findings, drawn from witness accounts and data, have faced criticism for relying on potentially unverified Palestinian sources amid Hamas control in Gaza.^[209] No other international tribunals have issued personal legal actions against him, distinguishing these from state-directed ICJ proceedings, such as October 2025 orders rebuking Israel for obstructing Gaza aid in violation of the Genocide Convention.^[210]

Ideological Foundations

Revisionist Zionism and Security Hawkishness

Netanyahu's ideological foundations are deeply rooted in Revisionist Zionism, a strand of the movement pioneered by Ze'ev Jabotinsky in the 1920s, which advocated for a maximalist Jewish claim to territory on both sides of the Jordan River and an "iron wall" of military strength to deter Arab opposition rather than relying on negotiation or British goodwill.^[211] This perspective was profoundly shaped by his father, Benzion Netanyahu, a historian and activist who served as Jabotinsky's personal secretary in 1940 and later led the Revisionist Zionist organization in the United States, promoting its tenets of uncompromised sovereignty and armed self-reliance amid rising antisemitism in Europe.^[212]^[19] Benzion's writings and activism instilled in his son a worldview skeptical of conciliatory approaches toward adversaries, emphasizing that Jewish security required overwhelming defensive capabilities and rejection of partition schemes that weakened Israel's strategic depth.^[20] As leader of the Likud party, which traces its lineage directly to Jabotinsky's Revisionist movement through the Herut faction founded by Menachem Begin, Netanyahu has consistently invoked these principles in policy and rhetoric, framing Israel's survival as contingent on maintaining territorial integrity and military superiority over revisionist territorial maximalism.^[213] In his 1993 book A Place Among the Nations, Netanyahu echoed Jabotinsky's iron wall doctrine by arguing that peace could only emerge after Arabs recognized Israel's permanence through demonstrated strength, not goodwill gestures, a stance that informed his initial opposition to the Oslo Accords as a risky concession without reciprocal security guarantees.^[214] This ideological commitment manifested in his premierships, where he prioritized settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria—echoing Revisionist claims to historical Jewish heartlands—and resisted unilateral withdrawals, as seen in his 2005 critique of the Gaza disengagement as endangering border security by ceding strategic buffers.^[215] Netanyahu's security hawkishness extends Revisionist Zionism's emphasis on deterrence into a doctrine of proactive defense, asserting that Israel must act unilaterally against existential threats rather than defer to international mediation, a view reinforced by his interpretation of historical precedents like the 1967 Six-Day War as validations of preemptive military action.^[216] He has described this approach as rooted in the lesson that "the weak crumble, are slaughtered, and erased from history while the strong, for all their wrongs and rights, survive," drawing directly from Jabotinsky's realist assessment of power dynamics in the region.^[217] Under his leadership from 2009 to 2021 and again from 2022, this translated into operations like the 2014 Protective Edge campaign against Hamas rocket fire, involving over 4,500 airstrikes and ground incursions to degrade tunnel networks and militant capabilities, justified as necessary to restore deterrence after rocket barrages exceeding 4,000 in 2014 alone.^[75] Netanyahu's advocacy for such measures reflects a causal understanding that partial responses invite escalation, prioritizing empirical outcomes—such as reduced infiltration attempts post-operation—over diplomatic optics, even amid international criticism.^[159] This hawkish posture, while credited by supporters with maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge through investments exceeding 5% of GDP annually on defense, has drawn accusations of inflexibility from opponents who attribute ongoing conflicts to its rejection of compromise.^[218]

Views on Iran and Nuclear Threats

Netanyahu has consistently characterized Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel, arguing that Tehran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, combined with its ideological commitment to Israel's destruction and support for proxy terrorism, necessitates proactive measures including sanctions, covert operations, and potential military strikes, while distinguishing between the regime and the Iranian people by expressing hopes for renewed friendship between the Israeli and Iranian peoples, referencing historical ties such as those under King Cyrus the Great, and conducting outreach via a Farsi-language Twitter account launched in 2015.^[219]^[220] In a 1995 book, Fighting Terrorism, he warned that Iran's nuclear ambitions could not be tolerated, advocating for an international coalition led by the United States to uproot the threat.^[221] This perspective stems from his assessment that Iran's regime views nuclear capability as a means to achieve regional hegemony and deter opposition to its expansionist policies. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Netanyahu repeatedly highlighted timelines for Iran's potential nuclear breakout, drawing on Israeli intelligence assessments. In a 2012 address to the United Nations General Assembly, he presented a diagram of a bomb to illustrate that Iran was 70% toward sufficient enriched uranium for a weapon, urging a "clear red line" to prevent weaponization within months.^[222] He reiterated this urgency in 2018 at the UN, revealing intelligence on a covert atomic warehouse in Tehran storing nuclear-related materials, claiming it evidenced Iran's deception despite the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).^[223] Netanyahu opposed the JCPOA from its inception, addressing the U.S. Congress in March 2015 to argue that the deal's sunset provisions and permission for continued low-level enrichment would enable Iran to retain infrastructure for rapid weapon development, describing it as paving Iran's path to the bomb rather than blocking it.^[224] In subsequent years, Netanyahu advocated "maximum pressure" campaigns, crediting the Trump administration's withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and reimposed sanctions for delaying Iran's progress. He maintained that diplomacy must condition any agreement on Iran's cessation of ballistic missile development, regional aggression, and uranium enrichment entirely, as partial deals incentivize violations. In his 2022 memoir Bibi: My Story, he detailed arguments for U.S.-led confrontation of Iran's nuclear program to avert catastrophe.^[225] By 2024 and 2025, amid reports of Iranian advances toward weapons-grade material, Netanyahu emphasized Israel's readiness for self-defense. In a September 2024 UN speech, he accused Iran of seeking to weaponize its program, warning of threats to global security. Following Israel's June 2025 Operation Rising Lion—targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear and missile sites—he stated the action aimed to eliminate the existential nuclear threat, asserting Iran could produce a bomb in a short time if unchecked, and vowed to prevent rebuilding.^[226]^[219] In a June 24, 2025, statement, he declared the operation had neutralized two core dangers: nuclear annihilation and missile barrages, framing it as a historic victory rooted in deterrence doctrine.^[227] These positions reflect his broader hawkish stance, prioritizing prevention over containment, informed by Israel's historical experiences with hostile neighbors and the regime's explicit threats.

Perspectives on Palestinian Conflict and Peace

In his 2009 Bar-Ilan University speech, Netanyahu outlined a conditional endorsement of Palestinian statehood, proposing a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside Israel provided the Palestinians recognized Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, forswore the right of return for Arab refugees into Israel proper, accepted Israeli control over airspace and borders to prevent arms smuggling, and united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty.^[228] He framed this as a pragmatic response to Israel's security needs, citing historical Arab rejection of partition plans like the 1947 UN proposal and subsequent wars as evidence that concessions without ironclad guarantees invite existential threats.^[228] Subsequent policies under Netanyahu's premierships reflected skepticism toward Palestinian negotiating partners, particularly the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas. Settlement construction in the West Bank accelerated, with approximately 500,000 Israeli settlers residing there by 2025, alongside expansions totaling over 24,000 housing units advanced in 2025 alone—double the prior annual record—effectively creating facts on the ground that complicate territorial contiguity for a viable Palestinian state.^[229]^[230] Netanyahu justified this by arguing that Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank's biblical names) enhance Israel's defensible depth against threats from the east, and that Palestinian incitement and PA payments to families of terrorists undermine trust in their commitment to peace.^[101] Netanyahu's approach to Gaza emphasized deterrence and division between Palestinian factions to avert unified pressure for statehood. From 2012 onward, his governments permitted Qatari cash transfers—totaling hundreds of millions annually—to Hamas, ostensibly for humanitarian aid and civil salaries but enabling military fortification, a strategy critics attribute to weakening the PA and stalling negotiations, though Netanyahu maintained it bought temporary calm amid thousands of rocket attacks.^[231] Following Hamas's October 7, 2023, assault killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages, he pledged "total victory" through dismantling Hamas's military and governance capacities, rejecting permanent Israeli reoccupation while insisting on indefinite security control to prevent resurgence.^[232]^[233] By 2024–2025, amid international pushes for renewed talks, Netanyahu explicitly rejected Palestinian statehood as a "huge prize for terror," vowing no withdrawal from the West Bank and full Israeli security oversight west of the Jordan River, arguing empirical failures of past concessions—like the 2005 Gaza disengagement leading to Hamas rule and rocket barrages—demonstrate that sovereignty for rejectionist entities perpetuates conflict rather than resolves it.^[233]^[234] He has advocated economic incentives and PA reforms to foster "peace for prosperity," but subordinated political settlements to verifiable deradicalization, citing data on persistent PA glorification of violence as causal barriers to coexistence.^[101]^[228]

References

[1]
Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister's Office - Gov.il
Jul 19, 2021 · Benjamin Netanyahu was born in 1949 in Tel Aviv and grew up in Jerusalem. His high school years were spent in the United States.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
[2]
Netanyahu, Benjamin
Born on October 21, 1949 in Jerusalem. Education: BSc in Architecture and MSc in Business Administration, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); studied ...
[3]
Benjamin Netanyahu Fast Facts - CNN
Netanyahu serves in the Sayeret Matkal, an elite commando unit of the Israeli army, in 1971. He spent five years in the unit. Israeli Government Press Office/ ...
[4]
[PDF] Benjamin Netanyahu - Curriculum Vitae 2009 - Gov.il
Netanyahu enlisted in the IDF and served as a soldier and officer in Sayeret Matkal, a special unit of the Israeli army. He took part in several operations, ...
[5]
Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu - Biography - Gov.il
Israeli politician, leader of the Likud since 1993, Israel's first directly elected Prime Minister, and Israel's first prime minister to be born after the ...
[6]
Benjamin Netanyahu Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Gov.il
Aug 3, 2021 · Benjamin Netanyahu - soldier, diplomat and the ninth Prime Minister of the State of Israel - was born in Tel Aviv in 1949 and grew up in ...
[7]
The Abraham Accords - United States Department of State
The Abraham Accords Declaration We, the undersigned, recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and around the world ...
[8]
What have the Abraham Accords achieved, five years on? - opinion
Sep 15, 2025 · The Abraham Accords positively impacted Israel's standing in the Middle East – diplomatically, militarily, and economically. A notable ...
[9]
Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial, what you need to know
Dec 9, 2024 · He is up against three separate cases of corruption filed in 2019: Case 1000, Case 2000, and Case 4000, which include allegations of bribery, ...
[10]
Netanyahu fumes at court in corruption trial testimony; 'Lower your ...
Mar 12, 2025 · Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases. He faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and Case 2000, and charges of ...
[11]
The corruption and autocracy nexus: The case of "King Bibi"
Apr 10, 2023 · Netanyahu's newfound impetus to weaken Israel's judiciary arose after he became embroiled in a criminal trial for multiple corruption charges.
[12]
Netanyahu corruption trial - BBC News
Trump calls for end to Netanyahu corruption trial. The US president says the case should be dropped, prompting accusations of interference.
[13]
Benjamin Netanyahu Fast Facts - WRAL.com
Jan 4, 2024 · Birth date: October 21, 1949. Birth place: Tel Aviv, Israel. Birth name: Binyamin Netanyahu. Father: Benzion Netanyahu, a historian. Mother ...
[14]
'Angel of destruction': What made Benjamin Netanyahu?
Jan 31, 2025 · His mother Tzila Segal grew up in Ottoman-ruled Palestine, while his father Benzion Netanyahu was born in Warsaw.
[15]
Benzion Netanyahu - Jewish Virtual Library
Benzion Netanyahu was an Israeli historian and author on Jewish history, though he is most well known as the father of Yoni Netanyahu and Benjamin Netanyahu.
[16]
Benzion Netanyahu dies at 102 - Cornell Chronicle
Apr 30, 2012 · He was born Benzion Mileikowsky in 1910 in Warsaw, then part of the Russian empire. His father, Nathan, a rabbi who traveled in America and ...
[17]
Iddo Netanyahu - Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Iddo Netanyahu (born July 24, 1952) is an Israeli physician, author and playwright. He is the younger brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of ...
[18]
The Private Letters of the Netanyahu Brother Who Did Rescue ...
May 2, 2024 · From left: Benjamin, Yoni and Iddo Netanyahu. The two younger brothers had to bear the weight of the success of their big brother and his ...
[19]
Yonaton "Yoni" Netanyahu - Jewish Virtual Library
In the early 1970s, Netanyahu joined the elite special forces unit Sayeret Matkal and in the summer of 1972 was appointed as the unit's deputy commander. During ...<|separator|>
[20]
Why Benjamin Netanyahu is so tough: He's from Philadelphia
Mar 3, 2015 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who graduated from a high school in a suburb of the City of Brotherly Love, with President Obama in 2014.
[21]
Did you know that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lived ...
Apr 5, 2015 · Netanyahu spent a good chunk of his teenage years in the Philadelphia suburbs, where he attended and graduated from Cheltenham High School in Montgomery County.
[22]
History with Chuck: Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu, once a Cheltenham ...
Jun 28, 2023 · He and his family belonged to reform Congregation Temple Judea on North Broad Street in Philadelphia. Netanyahu, a Tel Aviv native, was unable ...
[23]
Benjamin Netanyahu
Returning to Israel in 1967, Mr. Netanyahu enlisted in the IDF and served in an elite unit of the Israeli army, Sayeret Matkal. He took part in several ...
[24]
Saving Sergeant Netanyahu | The Times of Israel
Oct 25, 2012 · Ben, as he was known to his American friends, wanted to one-up his older brother, Yoni, and join not just the Paratroops but Sayeret Matkal (the ...
[25]
What was Operation Isotope? - CFI-USA
... Sayeret Matkal disguised themselves as aircraft technicians to board the plane. The team included two future Prime Ministers: Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu.
[26]
Men In White: The Raid on Sabena Flight 571 (1972) | IDF
Aboard the plane, passengers were crying or hysterical. A team of 16 elite commandos (Hebrew: Sayeret Matkal) approached the grounded aircraft in white overalls ...
[27]
Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu - Jewish Virtual Library
He was discharged from the IDF after six years of service, having attained the rank of captain following the Yom Kippur War. Following his discharge, Netanyahu ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[28]
Professor recalls Netanyahu's intense studies in three fields
Jun 5, 1996 · rate." At one point, Mr. Netanyahu told MIT professors he hoped to use his combined studies in management and architecture towards alleviating
[29]
Benjamin Netanyahu - The World Economic Forum
BSc in Architecture; MSc in Management Studies, MIT; studied Political Science at MIT and Harvard University. 1967, Israel Defence Forces; served in an ...
[30]
ISRAEL: THE MAKING OF BIBI NETANYAHU - Time Magazine
Jun 10, 1996 · Netanyahu attended high school in a Philadelphia suburb but after graduating, returned to Israel to serve with distinction for five years in ...
[31]
Biography: Binyamin Netanyahu | The Jerusalem Post
Feb 9, 2006 · After briefly working as a business consultant in the US, Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the senior management of Rim Industries in ...
[32]
Benjamin Netanyahu: Prime Minister of Israel, Background, Facts
Oct 11, 2023 · Benjamin Netanyahu was born on October 21, 1949, in Tel Aviv, Israel. He joined the Israeli military in 1967, moving into the special operations force.<|separator|>
[33]
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's controversial leader - BBC News
Nov 21, 2024 · It came at a pivotal time for Netanyahu - Israel's longest serving prime minister - who is in the midst of leading wars against Hamas in Gaza ...
[34]
Benjamin Netanyahu: A Political Timeline | HonestReporting
Jun 14, 2021 · Over the next few years, he took part in several counter-terrorism missions, notably aiding in rescuing a hijacked plane at the Tel Aviv airport ...
[35]
Benjamin Netanyahu: Who is Israel's longest-serving leader?
Mar 22, 2021 · In 1988, Netanyahu was appointed as deputy foreign minister in the cabinet of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. Likud chairman: Rising to ...
[36]
Who is Israel's new Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? - Al Jazeera
Dec 29, 2022 · Prime minister: He served as premier from 1996 to 1999 and a record 12-year tenure from 2009 to 2021. This month marks his sixth term serving ...
[37]
NETANYAHU TO HEAD ISRAEL'S LIKUD PARTY
Mar 26, 1993 · Netanyahu defeated former foreign minister David Levy; Zeev Binyamin Begin, son of the late prime minister; and Moshe Katzav, who held Likud ...Missing: Benjamin | Show results with:Benjamin
[38]
Israel's Likud Passes Torch, Naming Netanyahu Leader
Mar 26, 1993 · Mr. Netanyahu, born in 1949, a year after Israel came into being, succeeds former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, 77, who led the party for the ...
[39]
Interviews - Benjamin Netanyahu | Shattered Dreams Of Peace - PBS
A vowed opponent of the Oslo peace process, Netanyahu promised to crack down on terrorism. ... I criticized Oslo. I inherited this agreement and tried to ...
[40]
Netanyahu Deciphered! - Middle East Forum
Netanyahu's robust opposition to the Oslo accords, no doubt genuine at the time, also served as a rallying cry and mechanism when, as opposition leader, he ...
[41]
israel - Netanyahu has vowed not to "repeat the mistake of Oslo"
Dec 14, 2023 · The Israeli leader said he hoped “we will reach agreement here” but he vowed not to “repeat the mistake of Oslo”, referring to the 1993 peace ...
[42]
Netanyahu, Rabin and the Assassination That Shook History - PBS
Jan 4, 2016 · Among the events featured in the documentary: Netanyahu's rise to power in the wake of the 1995 assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak ...
[43]
BOMBING IN ISRAEL;ISRAELI RAGE RISES AS BOMB KILLS 19 ...
Mar 4, 1996 · The dull thud of another exploding bus echoed through Jerusalem early today, taking 19 lives and deepening the shadow over the future of the Israeli- ...Missing: impact | Show results with:impact
[44]
On Elections in Israel - MERIP
On June 5, 1996, Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud) became the ninth prime minister of Israel. Soon after his election he successfully replaced the ruling Labor-led ...
[45]
What economic legacy does Benjamin Netanyahu leave behind?
Jun 13, 2021 · During his term as Israel's finance minister from 2003-2005, Netanyahu led much-needed privatization reforms, fought against monopolies, and ...
[46]
Netanyahu's Economic Reforms And The Laffer Curve - Forbes
Nov 13, 2015 · In 2003 Israel was suffering from its worst economic recession since its founding. The second intifada was primarily blamed for the downturn, ...
[47]
Netanyahu's economic record: The good, the bad, the indifferent
Jun 15, 2021 · Looking back, thanks to tight fiscal discipline, government debt was reduced from 91.3% of GDP when Netanyahu was minister of finance in 2003 ...
[48]
Netanyahu to Unveil Unprecedented' Budget Cuts in Press ... - Haaretz
Mar 17, 2003 · Netanyahu proposes beginning the tax cuts on July 1, 2003 instead, but spreading them out over a longer period.
[49]
PM Netanyahu's Speech at the Israel Business Conference - Gov.il
Dec 14, 2009 · In 2003, when I was finance minister, I made a very difficult decision to put the brakes on public expenditure. It hurt me and my party ...
[50]
Netanyahu Gets Tough to Transform Israel's Economy
Oct 24, 2004 · Netanyahu's efforts to make broad, market-oriented changes have met resistance at almost every turn. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon seldom speaks ...Missing: reforms | Show results with:reforms
[51]
Start-Up Nation: Israel's Market Reforms | Cato Institute
Nov 20, 2015 · "Netanyahu. . . argued that the Laffer curve worked, and that his 2003 tax cuts had transformed Israel into a market economy and an engine of ...<|separator|>
[52]
Netanyahu Resigns to Protest Gaza Withdrawal - NPR
Aug 7, 2005 · Israel's Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resigns from his post in protest of Israel's planned pullout from the Gaza Strip.
[53]
Netanyahu quits over withdrawal from Gaza | Israel - The Guardian
Aug 7, 2005 · Israel's finance minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, resigned from the government yesterday, claiming its plan to withdraw from settlements in the occupied ...
[54]
Sharon, Netanyahu, Disengagement, and Likud Leadership
Aug 17, 2005 · Netanyahu resigned during the August 7 cabinet meeting, saying afterward that he believed Gaza disengagement would create a "base for terror," ...
[55]
Netanyahu Quits Sharon's Cabinet to Protest Gaza Pullout
Aug 7, 2005 · Benjamin Netanyahu's resignation, while not expected to block or delay the withdrawal, could accelerate the war in the Likud Party.
[56]
Netanyahu wins Likud vote | News - Al Jazeera
Dec 19, 2005 · Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has been declared the winner of a leadership election of his rightist Likud party.
[57]
What can we learn from Netanyahu's recent remarks? - opinion
Apr 17, 2023 · Netanyahu was the leader of the opposition from January 16, 2006, to April 6, 2009, when Kadima led the government and the Likud was in opposition.
[58]
Netanyahu snubs Kadima coalition | News - Al Jazeera
Mar 12, 2006 · Netanyahu snubs Kadima coalition. Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of Israel's right-wing Likud party, has ruled out joining Ehud Olmert, the interim ...Missing: 2006-2009 | Show results with:2006-2009
[59]
Israeli Politicians Begin the Blame Game - NPR
Aug 14, 2006 · Then it was opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu's turn. Until today, Netanyahu had not criticized Olmert or the way the war was going. But ...
[60]
Netanyahu: Deterrence Loss Was Greatest Failure in Lebanon War
May 30, 2007 · "The greatest failure as a result of the war is that Israel's deterrent capability has been severely harmed," Netanyahu told the Knesset plenum.
[61]
Two years after Hamas seized Gaza | News | Al Jazeera
Jun 14, 2009 · On June 14, 2007, Hamas drove Fatah out and gained complete control over Gaza [GALLO/GETTY]. Two years to the day after Hamas took control of ...
[62]
PM's allies snap back, call Olmert 'perpetual failure'
Dec 2, 2013 · Former prime minister Ehud Olmert is a “complete” and “perpetual failure,” senior Israeli officials close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday.
[63]
Netanyahu Wins Election by Finishing Second | CIE
February 10, 2009 In the election for the 18th Knesset, the centrist Kadima party of acting Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the acting prime minister, wins.
[64]
NETANYAHU CELEBRATES VICTORY - The Washington Post
May 31, 1996 · JERUSALEM, MAY 31 -- Confirmed today as Israel's newly elected prime minister, right-wing leader Binyamin Netanyahu moved immediately to ...
[65]
MERIA: Israel Under Netanyahu
Netanyahu won power by capturing the center ground from Labor. Maintaining that stance and making the transition from leader of the opposition to holding the ...
[66]
V Clouds on the Horizon: The Netanyahu Period (1996–1999)
This chapter examines Israel's policy toward the Palestines and the West Bank under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who narrowly won over Shimon Peres in ...
[67]
Middle East Peace Talks: Wye Summit - State Department
Key Document 10/23/98: The Wye River Memorandum: Interim Agreement. Remarks, Testimony, and Briefings 10/26/98: James Rubin, Daily Press Briefing Excerpt
[68]
[PDF] The Wye River Memorandum October 23, 1998 - GovInfo
Oct 23, 1998 · In the provisions on security arrangements of the Interim Agreement, the Palestinian side agreed to take all measures necessary in order to ...
[69]
Israel: Economic Policy and Trade Practices Report (1996)
Economic growth averaged six percent annually between 1990 and 1995, as Israel's imports of goods and services surged by some two-thirds to $40 billion.
[70]
Netanyahu's Economic Record | Jerusalem Center For Public Affairs
The opposition contends that in 1996, Netanyahu inherited from the previous administration (Rabin-Peres) a thriving, prosperous, and stable economy, and then ...
[71]
The Netanyahu Doctrine - The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune
For Netanyahu, private sector growth was a means to improve Israel's economic power in a globalized world. Whereas Rabin's government perceived ...
[72]
Netanyahu Budget May Risk His Economic Legacy in Israel
May 24, 2023 · As finance minister 20 years ago, he cut welfare payments, curbed government spending, sped up privatization and promoted the country's feted ...
[73]
Israel's Netanyahu could wreck his own brilliant economic handiwork
Feb 10, 2023 · Nevertheless, during that period he stabilized the shekel, Israel's chronically weak currency, and reversed the economy's downward trend by ...
[74]
The Return of Autarky - by Alex Stein - Love of the Land
Sep 18, 2025 · Netanyahu transformed Israel's financial system from a controlled, bank-dominated system to a competitive market economy. Capital controls were ...
[75]
From Socialism to Capitalism: Privatization In Israel - Sternthal Books
While recent statistics indicate that Netanyahu's plan has provoked a surge in overall economic growth, only the top 20% of Israel's population has actually ...
[76]
How Netanyahu Went from Idealism to Pragmatism on Economic ...
Oct 10, 2012 · Netanyahu the champion of neo-liberal economic policy has abandoned or actually reversed many of his most prized policies.
[77]
Israel GDP - Worldometer
GDP Change (%) ; 2010, 5.63% ; 2011, 5.56% ; 2012, 2.54% ; 2013, 4.23%.
[78]
Israel Economic Indicators: Domestic Unemployment Rate
Year. Unemployment. 2017. 4.3%. 2016. 4.8%. 2015. 5.3%. 2014. 5.9%. 2013. 6.2%. 2012. 6.p%. 2011. 7.1%. 2010. 8.3%. 2009. 9.5%. 2008. 7.6%. 2007. 9.1%. 2006.
[79]
Israeli protests: 430,000 take to streets to demand social justice | Israel
Sep 4, 2011 · Up to 300,000 take part in Tel Aviv, 50,000 in Jerusalem and 40,000 in Haifa in Israel's biggest ever demonstration.
[80]
Netanyahu scrambles to counter economic protests
Aug 7, 2011 · The protests have demanded a revival of social solidarity as a counterweight to Israel's move in recent decades from a socialist-style economy ...
[81]
PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting
Jan 3, 2010 · There is no doubt that this policy, in addition to Operation Cast Lead, has increased deterrence against attack on our communities. But we ...
[82]
Netanyahu defends commando response, says flotilla not a 'love boat'
Israeli prime minister says troops acted properly in raid on flotilla · "It was not a peaceful flotilla," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says · Netanyahu says ...Missing: incident | Show results with:incident
[83]
Statement by PM Netanyahu Regarding Flotilla to Gaza - Gov.il
Jun 1, 2010 · We told them that we would examine their cargo and allow those goods that could not be used as weapons or shielding materials for Hamas into Gaza.
[84]
Operation Pillar of Defense-Statement by PM Netanyahu - Gov.il
Nov 14, 2012 · Today, we hit Hamas strategic targets precisely. We have significantly debilitated their ability to launch rockets from Gaza to the center of Israel.
[85]
Netanyahu: Gaza war caused 98% drop in rocket fire
Nov 12, 2013 · Since the end of Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012, there has been a 98 percent drop in the volume of ballistic fire out of Gaza ...
[86]
Introduction: Restoring a Security-First Peace Policy
Israel's vital security requirements and a conditional endorsement of a Palestinian state were laid out by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his first ...
[87]
What Hamas Wants, What Israel Needs - Brookings Institution
Jul 11, 2014 · In Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009), Israel, then led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, entered Gaza in what became, predictably, a gruesome and ...
[88]
Benjamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister - Gov.il
Jan 1, 2023 · He signed an agreement with the United States for a 10-year security assistance package to Israel totaling $38 billion. He was a principal ...
[89]
https://www.npr.org/2006/03/31/5314500/election-leaves-likuds-netanyahu-to-pick-up-the-pieces
[90]
Israel and Hamas both claim victory as ceasefire holds - Reuters
May 21, 2021 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised address to Israelis, saying the operation had damaged Hamas's ability to launch ...
[91]
Israel GDP Annual Growth Rate - Trading Economics
GDP Annual Growth Rate in Israel averaged 3.73 percent from 1996 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 16.35 percent in the second quarter of 2021 and a ...
[92]
Israel GDP Growth Rate | Historical Chart & Data - Macrotrends
Israel gdp growth rate for 2021 was 9.34%, a 10.81% increase from 2020. Israel gdp growth rate for 2020 was -1.46%, a 5.25% decline from 2019. Annual percentage ...
[93]
How Israel Became a World Leader in Vaccinating Against Covid-19
Oct 3, 2021 · Badly hit by the coronavirus, Israel has distributed the first of two vaccine doses to more than 10 percent of its population.
[94]
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu indicted for bribery and fraud
Nov 21, 2019 · Israel's attorney general has indicted Benjamin Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, in a damning blow to the prime minister as he fights for his ...
[95]
A year after ousting, Israel's Netanyahu gets ready for a comeback
Jun 13, 2022 · On 13 June 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu made his final address to the Knesset as prime minister. In a proud and bitter half-hour speech, he ...Missing: activities | Show results with:activities
[96]
What Does Israel's New Government Mean for the Israeli-Palestinian ...
As 2022 came to a close, Benjamin Netanyahu once again took the helm of Israel's government just 18 months after losing power in the wake of a series of ...
[97]
The Bennett-Lapid coalition is still holding on, but Israel can't seem ...
Jun 17, 2022 · At the time, Netanyahu derisively estimated that the Naftali Bennett-Yair Lapid coalition that replaced him would last two months. But, behind ...
[98]
Israel's fight to define the right matters for US security
May 12, 2022 · ” Netanyahu and his supporters focus their criticism more on security, arguing that Bennett's government has been ineffective in preventing ...
[99]
Netanyahu blames PM for Russia 'crisis'; Lapid - The Times of Israel
Jul 26, 2022 · Likud chief claims government's 'blabbing' about Moscow 'endangering national security'; PMO says Netanyahu should come to security ...
[100]
In boon to Bennett, Knesset fully okays 2021-2022 budget in its first ...
Sep 2, 2021 · Financial plan moves forward for 1st time since 2018 after coalition compromises; PM hails 'budget that cares for citizens' while Netanyahu ...Missing: period | Show results with:period
[101]
The 2022 Israeli Legislative Election and Political Violence ... - ACLED
Oct 28, 2022 · Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for alleged bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, has become the primary fault line in an Israeli political ...
[102]
Israel's Netanyahu returns with hard-right cabinet set to expand ...
Dec 29, 2022 · The 73-year-old political veteran, who is on trial for graft charges he denies, has sought to calm concerns about the fate of civil rights and ...<|separator|>
[103]
Israel's PM Bennett loses majority after MP quits coalition - Al Jazeera
Apr 6, 2022 · Idit Silman's decision has left Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's coalition with 60 seats, the same as the opposition.<|separator|>
[104]
Israel's prime minister is stepping down, sparking a new round of ...
Jun 20, 2022 · Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that Israel's governing coalition has collapsed and the country will hold new elections.
[105]
The day Netanyahu turned out the lights on Naftali Bennett's ...
notably ...
[106]
Israel gets new PM as Netanyahu targets comeback - BBC
Jun 30, 2022 · Yair Lapid has become Israel's interim prime minister, taking over from PM Naftali Bennett after just one year. Mr Lapid, head of a centrist ...
[107]
Netanyahu and far right allies win Israeli election - Al Jazeera
Nov 3, 2022 · Former PM Benjamin Netanyahu set to form a government and seal a dramatic return to power, as Lapid concedes defeat.
[108]
Israel's Netanyahu reaches coalition deal with far-right Religious ...
Dec 1, 2022 · The deal nets Netanyahu control of 46 of the Knesset's 120 seats so far. Israel's Army Radio reported that Bezalel Smotrich, 42, who heads ...
[109]
Israel's Netanyahu says he has formed new government - POLITICO
Dec 21, 2022 · Designated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced late Wednesday that he has successfully formed a new coalition, setting the stage for him to return to ...Missing: sixth details
[110]
Israel's Netanyahu says he has formed new government - NBC News
Dec 21, 2022 · Netanyahu announced late Wednesday that he has successfully formed a new coalition, setting the stage for him to return to power as head of the most right-wing ...Missing: term | Show results with:term
[111]
Netanyahu for the sixth time: the new Israeli government - OSW
Jan 18, 2023 · A new Israeli government was sworn in on 29 December 2022, as Benjamin Netanyahu took the helm as prime minister for the sixth time in his career.
[112]
On eve of Israel's new government, far-rightists offer reassurances
Dec 28, 2022 · Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu finalised coalition deals on Wednesday as his prospective far-right partners offered ...
[113]
Israel judicial reform explained: What is the crisis about? - BBC
Sep 11, 2023 · Mr Netanyahu's opponents say the reforms will severely undermine the country's democracy by weakening the judicial system, the only tool for ...
[114]
Israel's Judicial Reforms: What to Know | Council on Foreign Relations
Jul 26, 2023 · The Israeli parliament's new legislation limiting Supreme Court oversight of government policies has raised alarm over deepening societal divisions and ...Missing: early | Show results with:early
[115]
Israel's judicial crisis: How did we get here? | News | Al Jazeera
Mar 27, 2023 · Israelis have been protesting for months against PM Netanyahu's proposed judicial changes, which critics say will undermine the justice system.
[116]
Israel passed a bill to limit the Supreme Court's power. Here's ... - CNN
Jul 24, 2023 · Israel's parliament on Monday passed the controversial “reasonableness” bill, the first major legislation in the government's plan to weaken the judiciary.Missing: early timeline
[117]
What to know about Israel's judicial overhaul plan - Axios
Jul 24, 2023 · The Israeli parliament has passed the first bill of the Netanyahu government's controversial judicial overhaul plan in a vote that was boycotted by the ...Missing: early timeline<|separator|>
[118]
October 7th Mass Casualty Attack in Israel - Annals of Surgery Open
Aug 5, 2024 · Terrorists murdered close to 1200 people, abducted hundreds, and injured thousands. This surprise attack involved an unprecedented number of ...
[119]
Israel at War: What You Need To Know | AJC
Over 700 days after the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust, there are still more than 45 hostages held in captivity by Hamas. At a moment when global ...Humanitarian Aid in Gaza · 6 “Pro-Palestinian” Protest... · Bring Them Home Now
[120]
'We are at war,' Netanyahu says, after Hamas launches devastating ...
Oct 7, 2023 · “I wish to encourage and strengthen all in Israel who are under attack. I urge everyone to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command, ...
[121]
Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - Gov.il
Oct 7, 2023 · Hamas has started a brutal and evil war. We will be victorious in this war despite an unbearable price. This is a very difficult day for all of us.
[122]
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
Oct 7, 2023 · In war, one needs to be level-headed. I call on all citizens of Israel to unite in order to achieve our highest goal – victory in the war.
[123]
Netanyahu declares war on Hamas after surprise attack kills ... - PBS
Published on Oct ...
[124]
Israel formally declares war against Hamas as it battles to push ...
Oct 8, 2023 · Israel has formally declared war on Hamas, setting the stage for a major military operation in Gaza as fighting continues to rage on Israeli soil.
[125]
Netanyahu says he's deeply sorry about October 7, but rejects probe ...
Aug 8, 2024 · He also denied that money flowing into Gaza was responsible for Hamas's ability to carry out its October 7 attack, asserting that “the main ...<|separator|>
[126]
Swords of Iron: IDF Casualties Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Gov.il
Nov 3, 2023 · The names of 920 IDF casualties of the Swords of Iron War have been released for publication. Since the beginning of ground operations in ...
[127]
Israel and Hamas Conflict In Brief: Overview, U.S. Policy, and ...
Prime Minister Netanyahu has insisted that Israel have full security control of "all territory west of the Jordan River," and "overriding security control" in ...
[128]
Israel-Gaza war: A timeline of key events | Reuters
Mar 18, 2025 · June 23 - Netanyahu says the phase of intense fighting against Hamas is coming to an end but that the war will not finish until Hamas no longer ...
[129]
Israel–Hamas war: The hostage deal and ceasefire explained
Nov 27, 2023 · The two sides agreed to a four-day truce so that 50 women, children and teenagers under the age of 19 taken hostage could be freed.
[130]
What's in the Hamas-Israel ceasefire and hostage release deal - CNN
Jan 15, 2025 · ... Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. The first ceasefire, in November 2023, lasted about a week. In that period, 105 hostages being held by Hamas ...
[131]
Netanyahu appeals for unity on eve of hostage releases, says ...
Oct 12, 2025 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed for unity ahead of the “historic” return of hostages held by terror groups in the Gaza Strip, ...
[132]
6 key moments in Israel's military campaign in Gaza against Hamas
Aug 8, 2025 · In early 2024, Netanyahu outlines his vision for postwar Gaza: Israel will maintain indefinite military control of Gaza and assume greater ...<|separator|>
[133]
January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire - Wikipedia
On 18 March 2025, Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Gaza, breaking the ceasefire with Hamas. ... Netanyahu's office stated that the strikes were carried out ...
[134]
Netanyahu says new Gaza offensive will start soon | Reuters
Aug 10, 2025 · The Israeli prime minister said he expected to complete a new Gaza offensive "fairly quickly."
[135]
Two years of Israel's genocide in Gaza: By the numbers - Al Jazeera
Oct 7, 2025 · Two years of Israeli attacks have killed at least 67,000 Palestinians. Thousands of other people are still under the rubble. That is about one ...
[136]
Revealed: Israeli military's own data indicates civilian death rate of ...
Aug 21, 2025 · Figures from classified IDF database listed 8,900 named fighters as dead or probably dead in May, as overall death toll reached 53,000.
[137]
Explainer: How many Palestinians has Israel's Gaza offensive killed?
Oct 7, 2025 · The Israeli military says 466 of its soldiers were killed in combat, and 2,951 others wounded since its Gaza ground operation began on October ...
[138]
Netanyahu defends planned Gaza City military offensive, says it's ...
Aug 10, 2025 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Israel's goal was not to occupy Gaza, but to "free Gaza."
[139]
Israel's extensive destruction of Southern Lebanon
Aug 26, 2025 · In September 2024, the hostilities sharply escalated, with the Israeli military launching “Operation Northern Arrows,” with a significant ...
[140]
Hezbollah chief says won't disarm until Israel leaves southern ...
Jul 6, 2025 · Israel's simultaneous attack on Lebanon escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people, including much of ...
[141]
Timeline: The path to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in Gaza
Jan 19, 2025 · The truce was extended to seven days, but Netanyahu made it clear that Israel was not ending its war on Gaza and that the halt in fighting was ...
[142]
Escalating to War between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran - CSIS
Oct 4, 2024 · In mid-September 2024, Israeli intelligence sabotaged thousands of Hezbollah beepers and walkie-talkies, detonating them in an operation that ...
[143]
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/05/nx-s1-5318591/israel-shin-bet-security-failure-october-7-attack
[144]
Israel and Hamas agree to Gaza ceasefire - NPR
Oct 8, 2025 · A ceasefire in the early days of the war, in November 2023, lasted just a week before collapsing.
[145]
Video: Netanyahu testifies in corruption trial as protests ... - Al Jazeera
Oct 15, 2025 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court to testify in his corruption trial, days after U.S. President Trump called for ...
[146]
Netanyahu in court for graft trial appearance - The Hindu
Oct 15, 2025 · Israeli PM Netanyahu faces corruption charges, prompting protests and Trump's call for a pardon, amid ICC war crimes allegations.
[147]
How Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power
Jul 11, 2025 · As he attends court up to three times a week for his corruption trial, his government is now moving to fire the attorney general who oversees ...
[148]
Israeli Life in 2025 in 7 Charts - Gallup News
Sep 30, 2025 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal approval rating also remains stable at 40%, which is in line with the period since 2023, but ...
[149]
Netanyahu's approval ratings at all-time high: Poll - JNS.org
Oct 15, 2025 · The poll was conducted on Oct. 15, 2025, with 486 participants representing the entire population. Direct Polls was the only polling firm ...
[150]
https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/confrontation-between-united-states-and-iran
[151]
https://apnews.com/article/iran-explosions-israel-tehran-00234a06e5128a8aceb406b140297299
[152]
Israel's Netanyahu survives opposition bid to dissolve parliament
Jun 12, 2025 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fractious right-wing coalition has survived an opposition-backed bid to dissolve parliament.
[153]
Netanyahu faces far-right backlash as Trump presses to end Gaza war
Oct 6, 2025 · A rift within Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition is emerging as a flashpoint in efforts to end the war in Gaza, ...
[154]
https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-years-after-october-7-israel-rediscovers-the-scale-and-limits-of-its-power/
[155]
Mapping State Reactions to the ICC's Netanyahu, Gallant Warrants
Mar 6, 2025 · On Thursday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced it had issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel ...
[156]
Situation in the State of Palestine: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I rejects ...
Nov 21, 2024 · ... Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. Image. ICC HQ. Today, on 21 November 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court ('Court ...
[157]
https://tcjewfolk.com/2018/01/04/netanyahu-part-1/
[158]
US expands sanctions targeting International Criminal Court
Aug 20, 2025 · United States expands attacks on International Criminal Court amid growing scrutiny over Israeli abuses in Gaza.Missing: relations | Show results with:relations
[159]
Global views of Israel and Netanyahu, spring 2025
Jun 3, 2025 · International views of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are much more negative than positive, according to a Pew Research Center survey of 24 ...How Americans view Israel and · Israeli Public Increasingly... · Laura Silver
[160]
https://www.haaretz.com/2011-03-27/ty-article/israel-deploys-iron-dome-missile-defense-system-for-first-time/0000017f-db0e-df9c-a17f-ff1e058c0000
[161]
From Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu: The Evolution of Israel's National ...
May 13, 2019 · Netanyahu asserts that Israel's security rests on four main pillars. The first pillar is military power, which derives from deterrence, early ...
[162]
PM Netanyahu's Speech at the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 26, 2025 · We're wiping out the terror regime of Hamas and ensuring that its savagery will never threaten Israel again. That's what we're doing. That's ...
[163]
Netanyahu, at UN, vows that Israel will keep 'degrading Hezbollah ...
Sep 28, 2024 · Netanyahu pointed a finger at Iran for being a destabilizing force in the region, noting its support for both Hamas and Hezbollah. He warned ...
[164]
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect, halting deadly war in Lebanon
Nov 27, 2024 · Netanyahu said Israel's war cabinet had approved the ceasefire and he had urged ministers in the full cabinet to approve the deal Tuesday night.
[165]
Netanyahu: Israel Will Act Against Houthis Like It Did Against Hamas ...
Dec 23, 2024 · “Just as we acted forcefully against the terrorist arm of Iran's axis of evil, so we will act against the Houthis,” Netanyahu said on December ...
[166]
The Rhetoric of 9/11 - Benjamin Netanyahu's Address to the ...
Sep 20, 2001 · We must fight terror wherever and whenever it appears. We must make all states play by the same rules. We must declare terrorism a crime against ...<|separator|>
[167]
Netanyahu's full speech at anti-terrorism conference
Sep 11, 2014 · The full text of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at a conference organized by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, September 11, 2014.
[168]
Netanyahu draws outcry for quote equating Oct. 7 toll to Oslo ...
Dec 12, 2023 · Netanyahu draws outcry for quote equating Oct. 7 toll to Oslo Accords deaths. After criticism by opposition and MK in his party, PM says notion ...
[169]
Israel's Netanyahu says 'there will be no Palestinian state' - Al Jazeera
Sep 11, 2025 · Israeli prime minister signs agreement to move ahead with expanded settlement plan that would bisect the occupied West Bank.
[170]
Netanyahu Sparks Outrage After Saying October 7, Oslo Accords ...
Dec 12, 2023 · More correctly, Netanyahu's steady efforts to undermine the Oslo accords has lead to 1200 Israeli deaths over thirty years, plus the same number ...
[171]
Netanyahu's Speech at Bar-Ilan University
Jun 14, 2009 · Bar-Ilan, 14 June 2009. Honored guests, citizens of Israel. Peace has always been our people's most ardent desire.
[172]
Netanyahu Speech Offers Points for a Demilitarized Palestinian State
The five points outlined in the speech are: 1. Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish state; 2. the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state; 3. a ...
[173]
Netanyahu signs West Bank settlement expansion plan, rules out ...
Sep 11, 2025 · The two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, ...
[174]
Netanyahu says any future Palestinian state would be a platform to ...
Jul 8, 2025 · Trump defers to Netanyahu on question of two-state solution; Netanyahu cites Hamas attack as evidence against statehood; He insists security ...
[175]
For years, Netanyahu propped up Hamas. Now it's blown up in our ...
Oct 8, 2023 · Most of the time, Israeli policy was to treat the Palestinian Authority as a burden and Hamas as an asset. Far-right MK Bezalel Smotrich, now ...
[176]
'Neither Hamas Nor the Palestinian Authority': Netanyahu Rejects ...
Feb 17, 2025 · Achieving success will require Hamas and its allies to willingly relinquish power, which seems unlikely unless they are forcefully removed.
[177]
At U.N. Netanyahu says Israel's Gaza war must finish off Hamas - NPR
Sep 26, 2025 · Opposition to Netanyahu's approach is growing ... Netanyahu opposes it robustly, maintaining that creating a Palestinian state would reward Hamas.
[178]
[PDF] The landscape of the Israeli economy - Brookings Institution
The principles of Netanyahu's “Israel Economic Recovery Plan” and “Economic Policy of 2004 Budget” ( as published in English by the Ministry of Finance ) are ...
[179]
Is Netanyahu an economic wizard? The numbers beg to differ
Jul 22, 2019 · According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Israel's GDP per capita has grown by almost 45 percent during ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[180]
The Netanyahu era and the transformation of the Israeli economy
Jun 3, 2018 · He reduced the size of the public sector, controlled government spending, cut tax rates and streamlined the taxation system, privatized ...
[181]
A growth strategy for the Israeli economy - Brookings Institution
Annual economic growth in Israel of 3.5% over the past decade has largely been the result of an increase in employment rates, while the growth rate in ...Missing: 2009-2013 | Show results with:2009-2013<|separator|>
[182]
Netanyahu Government Has Mixed Record on Economic Promises ...
Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz sought to cut the top marginal income tax rate one point annually to 39% in 2016 and the corporate tax by the ...Missing: impact | Show results with:impact
[183]
Income inequality in Israel: Netanyahu's neo-conservative policies
Mar 10, 2013 · Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently pushed for neo-conservative measures. ... The concentration of wealth results in slow economic growth ...
[184]
Iran nuclear deal must remove enrichment capabilities, Netanyahu ...
Apr 27, 2025 · Israel will only agree to a nuclear deal with Iran that eliminates Tehran's capacity to enrich uranium, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the JNS ...
[185]
Amid U.S.-Iran talks, Netanyahu says Iran's entire nuclear ... - Reuters
Apr 28, 2025 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday repeated calls for Iran's entire nuclear infrastructure to be dismantled, as Washington ...
[186]
Netanyahu says Iran deal will only work if nuclear facilities blown up ...
Apr 8, 2025 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that a deal between the US and Tehran can only work if Iran's nuclear facilities are physically blown up and dismantled.
[187]
In Speech To Congress, Netanyahu Blasts 'A Very Bad Deal' With Iran
Mar 3, 2015 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a deal the US and its allies are pursuing with Iran over its nuclear program is "very bad."
[188]
PM Netanyahu addresses the United Nations General Assembly
Sep 26, 2025 · We crushed the bulk of Hamas's terror machine. We crippled Hezbollah, taking out most of its leaders and much of its weapons arsenal. Remember ...
[189]
Israel and the Abraham Accords in 2025: Five years on
Sep 30, 2025 · During the 2023–25 conflict, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has suggested an “Abraham Alliance” against Iran, building on the ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
[190]
https://www.mei.edu/publications/israelis-evolving-pushback-democratic-erosion-under-netanyahu
[191]
Three Abraham Accords goals Trump should raise with Netanyahu
Jul 3, 2025 · To realize the potential of the Abraham Accords, Trump and Netanyahu must focus on both expanding the accords and bolstering existing accords relationships.
[192]
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-04-01/ty-article-magazine/.premium/netanyahu-is-boycotting-israeli-media-the-public-only-gets-one-curated-version-of-him/00000195-f14f-d470-addd-f5efb57a0000
[193]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ...
Sep 16, 2025 · PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: I'm not going to talk about our tactical plans. I leave that to our military people in the field. But I have stated ...
[194]
Slapping down far-right partners, Netanyahu vows no change to ...
Nov 4, 2022 · After members of Religious Zionism speak of plans to curb pride events, incoming PM says parades will not be limited by his government.
[195]
Netanyahu signs Israel coalition deal with anti-LGBT Noam party
Nov 28, 2022 · Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has signed a deal to give an Israeli government post to an openly homophobic ultra-nationalist party leader.
[196]
Netanyahu rebukes far-right ally for anti-LGBTQ comments | AP News
Designated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare rebuke of his new coalition allies on Sunday for saying ...
[197]
Netanyahu rebukes far-right ally for anti-LGBTQ comments - POLITICO
Dec 25, 2022 · Designated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare rebuke of his new coalition allies on Sunday for saying they would advance laws allowing ...
[198]
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/magazine/benjamin-netanyahu-gaza-war.html
[199]
Israel's High Court rules Haredi men no longer exempt from ...
Jun 25, 2024 · In a historic decision, the judges ruled unanimously Tuesday (June 25) that draft-age Haredi men are not exempt from the country's mandatory ...
[200]
Netanyahu coalition jeopardised over ultra-Orthodox exemption ...
Mar 18, 2025 · A group in the ruling coalition said it would bring the government down unless it exempts ultra-Orthodox Jews from army service.
[201]
Israel may head to elections as haredi Orthodox parties rebel over ...
Jun 4, 2025 · Now one of the haredi parties, United Torah Judaism, has said it will pull out of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition, ...Missing: positions Sabbath
[202]
Ultra-Orthodox parties quit Israeli gov't over conscription - DW
Jul 24, 2025 · The two parties want an exemption for students studying the Torah to remain in place, despite a Supreme Court ruling making them eligible to be ...Missing: Sabbath | Show results with:Sabbath
[203]
Judicial reform, boosting Jewish identity: The new coalition's policy ...
Dec 28, 2022 · Netanyahu has said that he will champion democratic values, while his Likud party pursues judicial reform that is intended to upend the checks and balances.
[204]
Could Women's Rights be Key to Unifying Israel's Government?
Jun 17, 2021 · “What unites them is animosity toward Netanyahu. But everybody can agree that violence against women should be restricted.”
[205]
Benjamin Netanyahu: What are the corruption charges? - BBC
May 22, 2020 · Benjamin Netanyahu: What are the corruption charges? ... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of bribery, fraud ...
[206]
Netanyahu corruption trial: What you need to know | Reuters
Dec 10, 2024 · Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and ...
[207]
Corrupt case: Netanyahu trial politically driven, legal experts say
Jun 6, 2025 · Netanyahu faces corruption charges in three separate cases—Cases 1000 and 2000 ... Case 4000 asserts that Netanyahu received 315 instances ...<|separator|>
[208]
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/03/hungary-arrest-and-surrender-israeli-prime-minister-netanyahu-to-the-international-criminal-court/
[209]
Israeli prime minister returns to court for corruption trial after month ...
Oct 15, 2025 · Israeli prime minister returns to court for corruption trial after month-long hiatus. Israeli ministers call for pardoning Netanyahu after ...
[210]
Benjamin Netanyahu corruption trial delayed on diplomatic and ...
Jul 1, 2025 · An Israeli court has cancelled this week's hearings in Benjamin Netanyahu's long-running corruption trial, accepting a request made by the prime minister on ...
[211]
https://www.counterfire.org/article/the-man-in-whose-shadow-netanyahu-walks/
[212]
Netanyahu bristles at protests as Israel's judicial reform edges ahead
Jul 9, 2023 · Protesters plan to converge on Israel's main airport as parliament debates the "reasonableness" bill. A major mall chain announced a one-day ...
[213]
Israel's protests over sweeping judicial reforms, explained - Vox
Jul 24, 2023 · Hundreds of thousands of Israelis throughout the country are protesting the first of a series of proposed radical changes to the country's judicial system.
[214]
Hundreds of thousands march in Israel against Netanyahu's judicial ...
Jul 22, 2023 · Thousands of Israelis march along a highway toward Jerusalem in protest of plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial ...
[215]
What to Know About Israel's Judicial Reforms | AJC
Jun 13, 2023 · The announcement that Netanyahu was firing Gallant triggered widespread protests across Israel on Sunday evening March 26, with hundreds of ...Missing: details timeline<|separator|>
[216]
Israel's Supreme Court strikes down disputed law that ... - Reuters
Jan 2, 2024 · The court said the majority of judges feel the law would severely damage Israel's democracy.<|separator|>
[217]
Israel Supreme Court strikes down judicial reforms - BBC
Jan 1, 2024 · This removed the power of the Supreme Court and lower courts in Israel to cancel government decisions it deemed to be "extremely unreasonable".
[218]
Thousands Protest in Israel Over Netanyahu's Judicial Overhaul
Feb 14, 2023 · As Benjamin Netanyahu's government pressed ahead with plans to limit judicial influence, Israelis thronged to unusually large rallies.
[219]
The October 7 Attack: An Assessment of the Intelligence Failings
Oct 7, 2024 · Hours after the Hamas attack of October 7 began, they were widely attributed to an apparent Israeli intelligence failure, with pundits pointing to several ...
[220]
“Hamas is deterred” as wishful thinking: An analysis of how Israel ...
Oct 7, 2025 · ABSTRACT. The attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, was a traumatic and strategic surprise for Israel. It was planned and executed by a known ...Missing: criticisms | Show results with:criticisms<|separator|>
[221]
https://theintercept.com/2015/03/02/brief-history-netanyahu-crying-wolf-iranian-nuclear-bomb/
[222]
Netanyahu: Money to Hamas part of strategy to keep Palestinians ...
Mar 12, 2019 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel's regular allowing of Qatari funds to be transferred into Gaza, saying it is part of a broader strategy to ...
[223]
'Buying Quiet': Inside the Israeli Plan That Propped Up Hamas ...
Dec 10, 2023 · Multiple Israeli governments enabled money to go to Gaza for humanitarian reasons, not to strengthen Hamas, an official in Mr. Netanyahu's ...
[224]
https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2015/mar/03/netanyahu-speech-text
[225]
'Arrogance and inherent blindness': Civil probe slams Netanyahu for ...
Nov 26, 2024 · While Netanyahu silenced internal critics, ignored warnings and declined to preemptively attack ... October 7 attack, on August 29, 2024. ( ...
[226]
Israel spy agency lists failures in preventing Oct. 7 attack - NPR
Mar 5, 2025 · The Shin Bet hinted at failures by Israel's political leadership to carry out the agency's desire to assassinate senior Hamas leaders, and ...
[227]
ICC judges reject Israel's request to withdraw Netanyahu arrest ...
Jul 16, 2025 · Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday rejected Israel's request to withdraw arrest warrants against its prime minister and former ...
[228]
https://www.jpost.com/israel/full-text-of-binyamin-netanyahus-bar-ilan-speech
[229]
International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Israeli Prime ...
Nov 22, 2024 · International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu · US opposes ICC action against Israel · Israeli ...
[230]
Hungary: Arrest and surrender Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to ...
Mar 31, 2025 · In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ...
[231]
Israel Losing Allies? Australia, France Clash with Netanyahu Over ...
Aug 20, 2025 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing diplomatic backlash over the war in Gaza ... International News | Trending ...
[232]
International reactions to the Gaza war - Wikipedia
On 15 November 2023, Belize terminated diplomatic ties with Israel, citing its "indiscriminate bombing" in Gaza. Bolivia: The government expressed "deep ...
[233]
UN delegates walk out on Netanyahu's speech as Israeli assault on ...
Sep 26, 2025 · To other word leaders: Netanyahu slammed international criticism of Israel's war in Gaza and accused world leaders of caving in to “biased media ...
[234]
Netanyahu tells U.N. that war will continue amid global backlash
Sep 26, 2025 · Netanyahu claimed that the “final remnants of Hamas are holed up in Gaza City” and that “Israel must finish the job,” an appeal for more time he ...
[235]
Ceasefire offers Israel opportunity to end its international isolation
Oct 17, 2025 · Some of the people familiar with Israel's communication efforts said failures by Netanyahu's government to engage diplomatically with concerns ...
[236]
Israel's isolation deepens as backlash and international sanctions ...
Sep 28, 2025 · International condemnation has soared since Israel announced a ground assault on Gaza City and conducted an unprecedented strike against Hamas ...
[237]
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/world/middleeast/gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-rubio-us.html
[238]
Bibi's Seven Presidents - Commentary Magazine
Oct 15, 2023 · During the George H.W. Bush administration, Netanyahu was a rising Israeli political star, but he came crosswise of a White House that was less ...
[239]
Netanyahu hated George H.W. Bush's peace plan. Now it's his policy
Dec 5, 2018 · Netanyahu hated George HW Bush's peace plan. Now it's his policy. His opposition to the US-led Madrid peace process as deputy foreign minister made him persona ...
[240]
U.S and Israel: An Always-Complicated Relationship Hits Bottom
Mar 2, 2015 · Bush's secretary of state, James Baker, barred Netanyahu from the State Department after he criticized the United States. In 1996, President ...
[241]
Netanyahu's Long History of Angering U.S. Presidents | TIME
Mar 26, 2024 · Netanyahu has a long history of angering presidents—mostly, although not exclusively, Democrats. After he lectured Bill Clinton in the White ...Missing: chronology | Show results with:chronology
[242]
Netanyahu's long history of confounding US presidents | CNN Politics
Jul 23, 2024 · Netanyahu had strong ties to the Trump administration, which scuttled the Iran nuclear deal, moved the US embassy to Jerusalem and tried to ...
[243]
Bill Clinton: Netanyahu 'knows how to hit people where they're tender'
Apr 12, 2019 · Clinton had a frequently tense relationship with Netanyahu during the 1996-99 period when their presidency and prime ministership overlapped.
[244]
US' curious relationship with Netanyahu and Israel - Arab News
Oct 16, 2024 · During the George W. Bush administration, Netanyahu remained influential but was not prime minister. The Bush administration was closely ...
[245]
George W. Bush offers Netanyahu advice on Hamas - Newsweek
Oct 13, 2023 · Former President George W. Bush said during a recent discussion that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must "protect his country" by delivering a ...
[246]
Iran Deal Denounced by Netanyahu as 'Historic Mistake'
Jul 14, 2015 · Netanyahu told Mr. Obama that the agreement raised the danger that Iran would obtain nuclear weapons either by waiting out the 10 to 15 ...
[247]
Netanyahu's threats to attack Iran 'panicked' Obama into nuke talks ...
Jan 26, 2018 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated threats to attack Iran's nuclear facilities caused such “panic” in the US that the Obama administration rushed to ...
[248]
Biden and Netanyahu: A crisis in perspective - Brookings Institution
Apr 2, 2024 · The United States and Israel's profound policy differences are compounded by Biden and Netanyahu's negative personal relationship.
[249]
Biden and Netanyahu Speak as Israel Weighs Retaliation Against Iran
aides said they had spoken more than 80 times since the Oct. 7 attacks — even ...
[250]
https://time.com/7327675/trump-israel-gaza-deal-interview/
[251]
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/inside-trumps-ultimatum-forced-netanyahu-table-you-cant-fight-world
[252]
Trump convinced Netanyahu to take a deal. Can he keep ... - Reuters
Oct 14, 2025 · Trump has a mixed record when it comes to applying political pressure on Netanyahu. In July, Israel bombed the Syrian defense ministry in ...
[253]
Netanyahu And Arafat - NPR
Sep 4, 1996 · After meeting for more than an hour, Netanyahu said he was committed to carrying out peace agreements Arafat had signed with Israel's previous ...
[254]
Barrier to Peace Breached as Netanyahu, Arafat Meet
Sep 5, 1996 · A stone-faced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the first time Wednesday, accepting him as a partner in peace.
[255]
How the peace process killed the two-state solution | Brookings
As part of the bargain struck at Oslo, the Palestinian leadership, under both Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas, agreed to give up a degree of control over their ...
[256]
https://themedialine.org/top-stories/meeting-between-netanyahu-and-egyptian-intelligence-chief-transforms-tactical-dialogue-to-strategic-cooperation/
[257]
Amid Gaza cease-fire hope, where does the Egypt-Israel ...
Oct 9, 2025 · “Security cooperation between Egypt and Israel remains strong and Egypt is one of the parties involved in negotiations to reach a diplomatic ...
[258]
Netanyahu jeopardizing peace with Jordan, Egypt - Arab News
Sep 23, 2025 · Jordan and Egypt, the only Arab countries that have peace treaties with Israel, are taking tougher stands against Tel Aviv in light of the ...
[259]
Netanyahu says 'many, many more' Arab states to normalize ties ...
Dec 24, 2020 · Sudan, an Arab-majority state, agreed to a deal in October and Morocco announced a resumption of ties earlier this month, hosting a US-Israeli ...
[260]
Morocco Becomes Latest Arab Country To Normalize Ties With Israel
Dec 10, 2020 · In September, Netanyahu and representatives of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates officially normalized relations, signing diplomatic ...Missing: meetings | Show results with:meetings<|separator|>
[261]
The Slowing Down of Israel-Arab Relations Under the Netanyahu ...
May 25, 2023 · In 2020, following a gradual process, the Abraham Accords were signed, leading the UAE and Bahrain to normalize ties with Israel, with Sudan ...<|separator|>
[262]
UAE foreign minister meets Israeli Premier Netanyahu, urges end to ...
Sep 27, 2025 · In 2020, the UAE signed US-sponsored agreements with Israel to normalize their relations. Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco also followed suit.
[263]
Netanyahu says Abraham Accords 'will be expanded' despite Gaza ...
Sep 28, 2025 · “The Abraham Accords, brokered by President Trump with me and the leader of the UAE, I think they've been remarkably resilient and strong. We've ...
[264]
“Bibi: My Story,” Benjamin Netanyahu On His Life And Times
Dec 9, 2022 · In his new book, Bibi: My Story, Netanyahu describes how he went from an Israeli American high school student in Philadelphia to a member of the Israeli ...
[265]
Netanyahu updates Twitter profile, now mentions all 3 kids
Dec 21, 2015 · Thirty-six-year-old Noa Roth is the only child of Netanyahu and his first wife, Dr. Miriam Weizmann. Noa was born in 1978 shortly before her ...
[266]
MKs slam Netanyahu over his son dating a non-Jewish Norwegian ...
Jan 26, 2014 · ” The prime minister's second wife, Fleur Cates, was also not Jewish but converted to Judaism. Netanyahu and Cates were married between 1981-84.
[267]
The Blogs: Three Marriages and Infidelity In politics anything goes.
Mar 22, 2019 · He and Miriam were divorced in 1978 and Bibi then married his second wife, the non-Jew, Fleur. The marriage lasted only six years and they ...
[268]
Sara Netanyahu
She is married to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is the mother of Yair, 22, who after completing his military service in the IDF Spokesman Unit is now a ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
[269]
Sara Netanyahu: the ever-present wife of Israel's prime minister
Jul 10, 2025 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's third wife and the mother of two of his children, Sara Netanyahu has long made headlines, notably for her ...
[270]
Israel's Netanyahu to have prostate removed after diagnosis of ...
Dec 28, 2024 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will go into hospital to have his prostate removed on Sunday after he was diagnosed with a urinary ...
[271]
Netanyahu's Prostate: Surgery, Secrets and Who Takes Over - Haaretz
Dec 29, 2024 · Netanyahu Has Undergone Treatment for His Condition Since at Least 2014, When It Was Carried Out Like an Undercover Operation With Decoy ...
[272]
Netanyahu released from hospital four days after prostate removal ...
Jan 2, 2025 · Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was discharged from the hospital in Jerusalem on Thursday after undergoing a successful prostate removal surgery on Sunday ...<|separator|>
[273]
PM health update: No cancer, pacemaker working, battling infection
Feb 17, 2025 · The report also noted that in April 2024, Netanyahu underwent surgery to repair a right inguinal hernia. Prior to the surgery, a full-body CT ...
[274]
Israeli doctors reveal Netanyahu's yearslong heart problem ... - PBS
Jul 24, 2023 · A week after a fainting spell, Netanyahu was urgently fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. Only then did staff at the Sheba Medical ...
[275]
Israel's Netanyahu 'in good health,' Prime Minister's Office says
Dec 31, 2023 · "He is not dependent on the pacemaker," the statement reported, "and no abnormal events have been recorded since his previous examination.".
[276]
Netanyahu suffers food poisoning, to rest for three days, his office says
Jul 20, 2025 · The prime minister fell ill overnight and was found to be suffering from intestinal inflammation and dehydration.
[277]
Netanyahu gets clean bill of health during annual checkup - JNS.org
Jan 1, 2024 · “The prime minister maintains a healthy lifestyle and a proper diet. The state of his health is completely normal,” added the physicians. A ...
[278]
Report: PM's Health 'Excellent' - Israel National News
Oct 10, 2011 · Sources in the PMO noted that the prime minister exercises regularly, lifts weights, and goes walking several times a week. Last year's medical ...
[279]
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1030363392460347&id=100064600873132&set=a.654646698698687
[280]
'Stop overeating, start exercising,' Netanyahu asks of his ministers ...
Jul 2, 2010 · He did so by maintaining a balanced diet with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables and that includes only diet drinks. He can be seen munching ...
[281]
Celebrity Politicians as Health-Promoting Role Models in the Media
Oct 12, 2020 · Both Israeli newspapers ignored Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's health habits. They both refrained from discussing his eating habits ...
[282]
Benjamin Netanyahu | Biography, Education, Party, Nickname, & Facts
Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician and diplomat who served as his country's prime minister three times (1996–99, 2009–21, and 2022– ).
[283]
360° Reactions: Netanyahu's Address to the US Congress
Jul 25, 2024 · Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Image ...
[284]
What is Benjamin Netanyahu like in person? - Quora
Oct 26, 2015 · He is a brilliant man, a man of intense presence and a political survivor. His view of the Jewish state is the Iron Wall, the last stand. The ...
[285]
Behavior Analysis of Benjamin Netanyahu in 1999 and 2017
Jul 21, 2017 · The testimonies of the people who have worked in close proximity reinforce egocentrism as a central feature of Netanyahu's personality.
[286]
The Psychological Studies of the Personality of Benjamin Netanyahu
Mar 6, 2021 · He is very weak. He's untrustworthy and very closed as a person. He has very few close friends. He hardly trusts anyone, not even his wife.” ...
[287]
Psychologist explains Benjamin Netanyahu's behavior and home life
May 29, 2025 · According to the psychologist, Netanyahu is a sharp, authoritative leader, but emotionally detached, shaped by a distant father, and lacking in personal ...
[288]
Netanyahu insists Israel will defend itself even if 'forced to stand alone'
CNN article reporting Netanyahu's statements on Israel's right to self-defense amid international pressure.
[289]
Israeli government failed in 'its duty to protect its citizens,' civilian-led probe finds
NBC News report on domestic criticism and a civilian probe into government failures related to the October 7 attacks.