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.
Erdogan said on Sunday that the United States and European countries were not doing enough to pressure Israel to agree on a ceasefire in Gaza.
Netanyahu's response to Oct. 7 was impulsive, not that of a measured, rational leader, the author argues.
Imagine an alternative universe in which Israel was led by a morally upstanding patriot who cared about the country’s reputation and the fate of Jews worldwide.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and security chiefs reportedly argued over discussions held about the course of the war, including questions of the day after in Gaza.
A new poll shows Netanyahu's coalition losing four mandates, opposition gaining three. Another poll reveals declining confidence in Israel's future and leadership.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan rebuked Netanyahu in an early morning post on X, saying Abu Dhabi denounced the Israeli leader's comments.
US President Biden's threat to halt arms supplies to Israel amid tensions over Gaza has stirred debate in Israel, reflecting wider political divides.
Israel's Eurovision contestant Eden Golan soared to second place following her performance despite protests, reflecting a triumph amid controversy.
President Biden, we literally have no place to go. And no, as Begin told you, we won’t sit back and wait for someone else to eliminate Hamas.
The stakes are too high now for ambiguity. Israelis, on the eve of Independence Day, deserve a comprehensive plan that outlines the path to security, detailing how it can be achieved.
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