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.
Herzog said that he would lead survivors, bereaved families, and former hostages, in the March of the Living in Auschwitz on Thursday.
Netanyahu is trying to walk a tightrope between avoiding new problems with the ICJ and new problems with Smotrich threatening to topple his coalition.
Netanyahu is suspected of allegedly pushing for several regulatory changes that would have been beneficial to his friend while in a position of power.
The announcement was made as an attempt to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance with a new bill to regulate haredi IDF service.
As pressure mounts on Netanyahu, new claims from Shin Bet chief point to actions that could lead to the prime minister’s legal incapacitation.
The US and Iran prepare to hold a third round of talks this weekend on a possible deal to reimpose restraints on Tehran's nuclear program.
This comes amid a recent increase in tensions between Israel and Turkey.
Israel begins commemoration for Holocaust Remembrance Day • Jordan outlaws Muslim Brotherhood
Today, I have more faith in the US administration, led by President Donald Trump, to bring my daughters’ father home than I do in my own government.
JPOST Digital Library
