Biography of Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a fervent fighter against terrorism, took office in 1996, becoming the youngest prime minister in the country's history. He holds another record, serving longer as prime minister than the nation's founding father, David Ben-Gurion: from 1996 to 1999, 2009 to 2021, and 2022 to the present.Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, has always been open about his conservative views. Bibi, as Israelis call him, was as loved as he was despised in the country. His fellow citizens criticized him for not making efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, dubious reforms, growing closer to Russia, and distancing from the US.
Childhood and Family
Benjamin Netanyahu was born on October 21, 1949, in Tel Aviv. His father, history professor Benzion Netanyahu, originally from Warsaw, served as a personal assistant to Ze'ev Jabotinsky, a writer and publicist with conservative views. Jabotinsky's works formed the foundation of the Likud party's beliefs, which the politician would later lead.
Benjamin's mother, Tzila Segal, was born in Petah Tikva. She met her future husband while studying in Palestine, and they married in 1944.
For the first 15 years of his life, Benjamin practically lived between two countries because his father taught in the US. It was also in the US that he completed high school in 1967.
Military Service and Education
After graduation, he returned to Israel to serve in the Defense Forces. Netanyahu joined the "Sayeret Matkal", a special reconnaissance unit considered elite. With them, Benjamin participated in several operations conducted in foreign territories, like Lebanon or Azerbaijan. He also fought in the Six-Day War in the Middle East.In 1969, during Operation "Bulmus-4", Netanyahu narrowly escaped drowning when an attack on a boat almost pulled him underwater due to his heavy backpack. Three years later, Benjamin got wounded while freeing a plane from terrorists. A few months after, he finished his service with the rank of captain.
He graduated from MIT in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in architecture. A year later, he also earned a master's degree in management. Subsequently, Benjamin continued his studies in political science at Harvard. He financed his studies by taking up a modest position at a consulting firm in Boston.
First Steps in Politics
In 1977, Netanyahu returned to Israel. Initially, he earned a living as the head of marketing for a furniture company. However, he was always drawn to public and political activism.Being the son and grandson of individuals with a clear literary talent, Benjamin also possessed a flair for writing. He penned articles for globally renowned publications such as "The Washington Post," "Time," "The New York Times," "Le Monde," and others. He also founded the "Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute," where he started organizing thematic conferences worldwide.
For two years, he served as Israel's Consul General in the US, after which he became the country's ambassador to the UN. He held this position until 1988, working on archives that unveiled the Nazi sympathies of former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. Even then, Netanyahu established himself as a distinguished orator.
First Term as Prime Minister
In 1988, Benjamin Netanyahu decided to return to Israel to start his political career. He became a member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) for the conservative "Likud" party and was appointed as the country's Deputy Foreign Minister.Four years later, the party leader, Yitzhak Shamir, resigned. Netanyahu managed to take his place, becoming the leader of the opposition in the Knesset. Under his leadership, the Likud party consistently opposed Arab terrorism and the withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip.
Yet, his Likud party couldn't secure a majority in the parliament. So, throughout his first term, Netanyahu had to work with deputies whose views clashed with his own.
In addition to addressing long-standing conflicts between Arabs and Israelis, Netanyahu aimed to strengthen the country's economy. He focused on the high-tech sector and promoted free enterprise.
However, some of his decisions faced public backlash. An unsuccessful assassination attempt by Mossad on terrorist Khaled Mashal in 1997 worsened Israel's relations with Jordan. Netanyahu and his political colleagues had to personally address the ensuing conflict.
As a result, in 1999, early elections for the Prime Minister were held, and Netanyahu lost to Ehud Barak.
Further Political Career
After the unsuccessful elections, Benjamin Netanyahu took a break from politics and toured the world giving lectures as a high-tech business consultant. In 2001, Ehud Barak resigned as Prime Minister. However, Netanyahu chose not to participate in the elections and even declined the chance to lead the "Likud" party.Ariel Sharon became the new Prime Minister. In 2002, he appointed Netanyahu as Foreign Minister and, a year later, as the Finance Minister. In this role, Netanyahu focused on cutting state expenses, reforming the pension system, and reducing taxes.
After another three years, parliamentary elections took place. "Likud" came in second, losing to the young liberal party "Kadima". However, its leader, Tzipi Livni, couldn't secure support from the members of the Knesset, so Israel's President Shimon Peres entrusted the task of forming a government to Netanyahu. He assembled the largest cabinet with 39 ministers.
During this time, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State under the Barack Obama administration, visited Israel. She advocated for the creation of a Palestinian state, a move opposed by Netanyahu and his coalition.
Return to the Prime Minister Position
In 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu once again took on the role of the country's Prime Minister. Around that time, US President Barack Obama demanded that the Israeli government resolve all conflicts with the Arabs within the next two years. Netanyahu's proposed plan involved significant curtailment of Palestinians' rights and their complete demilitarization.The politician intended to recognize an independent Palestinian state only if the Arabs would acknowledge Israel as the national home of the Jewish people. As a result, relations between the two peoples only deteriorated.
In 2012, Netanyahu was re-elected as Prime Minister. Two years later, he initiated a military operation in the Gaza Strip in response to missile attacks on Israel. This strained the relationship between the Prime Minister and the Obama administration.
His growing closeness with Russia also raised concerns. Benjamin frequently held joint meetings with Vladimir Putin, discussing collaborative efforts against international terrorism.
In 2019, with the onset of a new political crisis in Israel that lasted for three years, the Knesset was dissolved. In the elections, the "Likud" party secured the majority. However, Netanyahu couldn't form a coalition either time. Snap elections occurred in 2020, and Benjamin returned to the Prime Minister's office. By 2021, four significant agreements had been signed, the "Abraham Accords", which aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and Muslim countries like Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the UAE. The Prime Minister personally advocated for these agreements.
The first half of the new term proved tumultuous for Netanyahu. His judicial reform drew sharp public criticism. Opponents claimed that with his ideas, he violated workers' rights, democratic principles, and tarnished Israel's international image. In March, large cities experienced protests.
Criminal Cases Against Netanyahu
The first allegations against Benjamin Netanyahu were raised in the Israeli press as early as 1999. Based on these scandalous articles, the police suspected the politician of corruption and breach of trust. However, the case never made it to court at that time.But in 2020, a major trial began, addressing several cases against the Prime Minister. For instance, "Case 1000" revolved around expensive gifts Netanyahu allegedly received from wealthy acquaintances in return for certain favors. According to the investigation, in exchange for gifts, the politician advanced the interests of Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan.
Finally, the most severe suspicions – of accepting bribes – came with "Case 4000". Netanyahu was accused of lobbying for a merger of telecommunications companies and promoting favorable coverage of his work on the news website Walla!
Netanyahu himself has denied all allegations against him. Hearings on these cases are currently still ongoing.
Benjamin Netanyahu's Personal Life
Benjamin Netanyahu's first wife was chemist Miriam Weizman. The couple met in Israel, after which Miriam followed Netanyahu to the US. They married in 1974 and had a daughter named Noa in 1978. However, their marriage soon ended.
The charismatic politician wasn't single for long. In 1991, he married Sara Ben-Artzi, a former flight attendant who later earned a master's degree in psychology. Sara soon gave birth to a son, Yair, and three years later, another boy, Avner.
In the summer of 2023, amid the protests in Israel against the judicial reform initiated by Benjamin, the prime minister himself was hospitalized. Initially, doctors reported dehydration, but it was later revealed that he had heart issues. Medical professionals installed a pacemaker in Netanyahu, and he successfully underwent the operation.
Benjamin Netanyahu Now
On October 7th, HAMAS militants began their attack on Israel. Their actions caught both the army and the civilian population off guard. Israelis had placed their trust in the power of their national intelligence and the reliability of the famed "Iron Dome" missile defense system.However, during the initial hours of the military conflict, residents of areas bordering Palestine had to fend off attackers largely on their own, without the army or police's support. This led to an unprecedented wave of criticism directed at Netanyahu.
The day after the attack, the Prime Minister announced an offensive operation on the Gaza Strip and officially declared the "alef 40" state, effectively acknowledging a state of war. The Israel Defense Forces then announced the commencement of Operation "Iron Swords".
Furthermore, some experts believe that the government's policies, such as diplomatic inaction and building settlements on Arab territories, drove the Palestinians to take aggressive actions.
By October 11th, Israel established an emergency government, which included Netanyahu. It was expected that this body would only make decisions or pass bills related to the conduct of the war.
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