Benjamin Netanyahu is the current prime minister of Israel and leader of the Likud party. 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. 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 most recently formed the country's 34th government, establishing a coalition with the Jewish Home, United Torah Judiasm, Kulanu, and Shas parties. He is married to Sara Netanyahu with whom he has two children, Yair and Avner. Netanyahu strongly opposes a nuclear deal with Iran.
He clarified that Israel would first need to present detailed maps to a joint US-Israel committee before receiving official US recognition of the move.
The full story has yet to be revealed, but diplomatic sources said late Tuesday night that the US was surprised by Netanyahu’s promise to immediately annex West Bank territory.
The defense minister and Yamina Party leader has long called for the annexation of Area C of the West Bank, and has been outspoken about his opposition to a Palestinian state.
Some famous Netanyahu phrases, like “if they give, they’ll get, if they don’t give they won’t get,” and “Palestinian state-minus,” are reflected in the plan.
In spite of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lauding of US President Donald Trump, many Israelis are likely be up in arms about the plan.
Netanyahu wants the public - or at least whatever undecided voters still - exist to think long and hard about that contrast.
Referring to the plan as “the slap of the century,” Abbas said he did not find anything new in Trump’s announcement.
Ambassadors from the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain participated in the rolling out of the White House's peace plan.
“For years, the international community said that if Israel annexes any land in Judea and Samaria, there will be sanctions against us in the UN Security Council."
Three years in the making, the “Deal of the Century,” US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, has finally been revealed.
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