Benjamin Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister of Israel since its inception.
Born in Tel Aviv on October 21, 1949, he grew up in Jerusalem before moving with his family to Pennsylvania during his high school years, where his father taught history. In 1967 Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the IDF's Sayeret Matkal special forces unit, where he served until 1973.
He took part in many military operations, including a 1972 rescue mission of hostages in a hijacked Sabena airplane, during which he was shot in the shoulder. Netanyahu finished his military service in 1972, but returned to serve in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, after which he was promoted to the rank of Captain.
His brother Yonatan "Yoni," an IDF officer, was killed during Operation Entebbe in 1976 at the Entebbe Airport in Uganda where Israelis were being held hostage. His was the only death resulting from the mission.
He has degrees in architecture and business management from MIT. He also studied political science at MIT and Harvard University. He served as Israel's ambassador to the UN from 1984-1988, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Ariel Sharon's government.
In 1993 Netanyahu was elected Likud party chairman and served as the leader of the opposition until being elected prime minister in 1996. In 2009, he was elected prime minister for the second time, in January 2013 a third, and in March 2015 a fourth.
He is married to Sara Netanyahu with whom he has two children, Yair and Avner.
In 2018, the Mossad stole Iran's nuclear archive. Netanyahu later presented the information to the international community. Netanyahu strongly opposes a nuclear deal with Iran.
Under the rotation government set by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, Netanyahu serves as the leader of the opposition.
Trump faces a pivotal choice as conflict dynamics shift, with rising regional pressures and growing calls for a two-state solution amid fears of further violence and lasting instability.
Netanyahu's Knesset appearance after surgery highlights coalition fragility amid protests, Ben-Gvir’s rebellion, and opposition resistance, raising questions about Israel’s political stability.
With Erdogan’s anti-Israel stance and rival interests in Syria, experts warn of a potential unprecedented confrontation amid ongoing regional instability.
Blinken's comments in the interview Saturday were not all that predictable when nearly 20 minutes of the 50-minute conversation turned toward Israel, Hamas, and Gaza.
Delays risk global arrest warrants, as seen in a Brazil case. Critics warn of travel restrictions for Israelis unless the IDF publishes reports on its investigations promptly.
Die Ironie einer Verhaftung Netanjahus in Auschwitz wäre bestürzend und würde genau den Zweck der Gedenkfeier untergraben.
Netanyahu defied A-G by appointing Roi Kachlon as interim civil service chief, sparking criticism over Kachlon’s qualifications and escalating tensions with the judiciary.
An additional impediment to a deal was Hamas's wish to see the conflict expanding to additional fronts, Blinken noted.
Sadly, the greatness of these men is always celebrated too late. When asked if Bibi is the right leader to handle this war, I answered firmly that only he has the ability to lead us right now.
Among Likud voters, opinions are divided: 35% support Ben-Gvir's dismissal, 40% oppose it, and 25% remain undecided.
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