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.
"If the Chief of Staff and the Shin Bet chief are working around the clock in a conflict that has lasted over a year, how can they be subjected to such baseless attacks?" Cohen asked.
A far-reaching consequence of the ICC warrants will be difficulties in exporting arms to Israel because of the fear that they will be used to commit war crimes.
Hostage families strive for Trump meetings • Beirut's suburbs hit by waves of Israel Air Force strikes
"The ICC plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability for serious crimes," Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated.
Israeli families of hostages and officials advocating for their release are closely monitoring US President-elect Donald Trump’s moves.
Several EU states have said they will meet their commitments under the statute if needed, but Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invited Netanyahu to visit his country.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also criticized the ICC’s warrant as “absurd.”
Orban said the ICC's arrest warrant was "wrong" and said the Israeli leader would be able to conduct negotiations in Hungary "in adequate safety".
Some will see the ICC's decision as reasonable, and that is exactly what will ultimately strip the court of its legitimacy.
Netanyahu called the ruling an "antisemetic step with one goal - to deter me, to deter us - from exercising our right to defend ourselves."
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