Prime Minister of Israel ראש הממשלה
Incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu since 31 March 2009
Style	His Excellency
Residence	Beit Aghion
Nominator	Knesset
Appointer	President of Israel
Term length	4 years (maximum)
Inaugural holder	David Ben-Gurion
Formation	14 May 1948
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister
Website	www.pmo.gov.il

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The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה‎‎, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. Head of the Government, Hebrew acronym: רה"מ‎; Arabic: رئيس الحكومة‎) is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel (the position of President of Israel is largely honorary). The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem. The current prime minister is Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud, the ninth person to hold the position (excluding caretakers).

Following an election, the President nominates a member of the Knesset to become prime minister after asking party leaders whom they support for the position. The nominee then presents a government platform and must receive a vote of confidence in order to become prime minister. Between 1996 and 2001, the Prime Minister was directly elected, separately from the Knesset.^[1]

History[link]

The office of prime minister came into existence on 14 May 1948, the date of the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, when the provisional government was created. David Ben-Gurion, leader of Mapai and head of the Jewish Agency became Israel's first Prime Minister. The position became permanent on 8 March 1949, when the first government was formed. Ben-Gurion retained his role until late 1953, when he resigned in order to settle in the Kibbutz of Sde Boker. He was replaced by Moshe Sharett. However, Ben-Gurion returned in a little under two years to reclaim his position. He resigned for a second time in 1963, breaking away from Mapai to form Rafi. Levi Eshkol took over as head of Mapai and prime minister. He became the first prime minister to head the country under the banner of two parties when Mapai formed the Alignment with Ahdut HaAvoda in 1965. In 1968 he also became the only party leader to command an absolute majority in the Knesset, after Mapam and Rafi merged into the Alignment, giving it 63 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.

On 26 February 1969, Eshkol became the first prime minister to die in office, and was temporarily replaced by Yigal Allon. However, Allon's stint lasted less than a month, as the party persuaded Golda Meir to return to political life and become prime minister in March 1969. Meir was Israel's first woman prime minister, and the third in the world (after Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Indira Gandhi).

Meir resigned in 1974 after the Agranat Commission published its findings on the Yom Kippur War, even though it had absolved her of blame. Yitzhak Rabin took over, though he also resigned towards the end of the eighth Knesset's term following a series of scandals including the suicide of Housing Minister Avraham Ofer after police began investigating allegations he used party funds illegally, and Asher Yadlin (the governor-designate of the Bank of Israel) being sentenced to five years in prison for accepting bribes. Rabin's wife, Leah, was also found to have an overseas bank account, which was illegal in Israel at the time.

Menachem Begin became the first right-wing prime minister when his Likud won the 1977 elections, and retained the post in the 1981 elections. He resigned in 1983 for health reasons, passing the reins of power to Yitzhak Shamir.

After the 1984 elections had proved inconclusive with neither the Alignment nor Likud able to form a government, a national unity government was formed with a rotating prime ministership – Shimon Peres took the first two years, and was replaced by Shamir midway through the Knesset term.

Although the 1988 elections produced another national unity government, Shamir was able to take the role alone. Peres made an abortive bid to form a left-wing government in 1990, but failed, leaving Shamir in power until 1992.

Rabin became prime minister for the second time when he led Labour to victory in the 1992 elections. After his assassination on 4 November 1995, Peres took over as prime minister.

Election[link]

During the thirteenth Knesset (1992–1996) it was decided to hold a separate ballot for prime minister modeled after American presidential elections. In 1996, when the first such election took place, the outcome was a surprise win for Benjamin Netanyahu after election polls predicted that Peres was the winner.^[2] However, in the Knesset election held at the same time, Labour won more votes than any other party (27%). Thus Netanyahu, despite his theoretical position of power, needed the support of the religious parties to form a viable government.

Ultimately Netanyahu failed to hold the government together, and early elections for both Prime Minister and the Knesset were called in 1999. Although five candidates announced their intention to run, the three representing minor parties (Benny Begin of Herut – The National Movement, Azmi Bishara of Balad and Yitzhak Mordechai of the Centre Party) dropped out before election day, and Ehud Barak beat Netanyahu in the election. However, the new system again appeared to have failed, as although Barak's One Israel party (an alliance of Labour, Gesher and Meimad) won more votes than any other party in the Knesset election, they garnered only 26 seats, the lowest ever by a winning party, meaning that a coalition with six smaller parties was once again necessary.

In early 2001, Barak resigned following the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada. However, the government was not brought down, and only elections for prime minister were necessary. In the election itself, Ariel Sharon comfortably beat Barak, taking 62.4% of the vote. However, because Likud only had 21 seats in the Knesset, Sharon had to form a national unity government. Following Sharon's victory, it was decided to do away with separate elections for prime minister and return to the previous system.

2003 onwards[link]

The 2003 elections were carried out in the same manner as prior to 1996. Likud won 38 seats, the highest by a party for over a decade, and as party leader Sharon was duly appointed PM. However, towards the end of his term and largely as a result of the deep divisions within Likud over Israel's unilateral disengagement plan, Sharon broke away from his party to form Kadima, managing to maintain his position as Prime Minister and also becoming the first Prime Minister not to be a member of either Labour or Likud (or their predecessors). However, he suffered a stroke in January 2006, in the midst of election season, leading Ehud Olmert to become Acting Prime Minister in the weeks leading to the elections. He was voted by the cabinet to be Interim Prime Minister just after the 2006 elections, when Sharon had reached 100 days of incapacitation. He thus became Israel's third Interim Prime Minister, only days before forming his own new Government as the official Prime Minister of Israel.

Order of succession[link]

If the Prime Minister dies in office, the Cabinet chooses an Interim Prime Minister,^[3] to run the government until a new government is placed in power. Yigal Allon served as Interim Prime Minister following Levi Eshkol's death, as did Shimon Peres following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.

According to Israeli law, if a Prime Minister is temporarily incapacitated rather than dies (as was the case following Ariel Sharon's stroke in early 2006), power is transferred to the Acting Prime Minister, until the prime minister recovers (Ehud Olmert took over from Sharon), for up to 100 days. If the prime minister is declared permanently incapacitated, or that period expires, the President of Israel oversees the process of assembling a new governing coalition, and in the meantime the acting prime minister or other incumbent minister is appointed by the Cabinet to serve as Interim Prime Minister.

In the case of Sharon, elections were already due to occur within 100 days of the beginning of his coma thus the post-election coalition building process pre-empted the emergency provisions for the selection of a new prime minister. Nevertheless, Olmert was appointed interim prime minister on 16 April 2006, after the elections, just days before he had formed a government on 4 May 2006, to become the official prime minister.

Acting, vice and deputy prime minister[link]

Aside from the position of acting prime Minister, there are also vice prime ministers and deputy prime ministers.

Interim government[link]

Prime minister's residence[link]

During his term of office, the prime minister lives in Jerusalem. Since 1974, the official residence of the prime minister is Beit Aghion, at the corner of Balfour and Smolenskin streets in Rehavia.^[4]

List of Prime Ministers[link]

Term of office in years[link]

List of Prime Ministers of Israel by longevity[link]

See also[link]

• Office of the Prime Minister (Israel)
• Beit Aghion (or Beit Rosh ha-Memshala, lit. The residence of the prime minister)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• All Prime Ministers of Israel Knesset website
• The PM's Who Shaped Israel – slideshow by The First Post
• Family Trees of all Prime Minister of Israel

v t e Prime Ministers of Israel Ben-Gurion (1948–53) Sharett (1953–55) Ben-Gurion (1955–63) Eshkol (1963–69) Allon (acting) Meir (1969–74) Rabin (1974–77) Begin (1977–83) Shamir (1983–84) Peres (1984–86) Shamir (1986–92) Rabin (1992–95) Peres (1995–96) Netanyahu (1996–99) Barak (1999–2001) Sharon (2001–06) Olmert (2006–09) Netanyahu (2009–present)

v t e Israeli Cabinet portfolios Office of the Prime Minister · Deputy Prime Minister · Vice Prime Minister · Agriculture & Rural Development · Communications · Culture & Sport · Defense · Development of the Negev and Galilee · Economic Strategy · Education · Environmental Protection · Finance · Foreign Affairs · Health · Minister for Home Front Defense · Housing and Construction · Immigrant Absorption · Improvement of Government Services · Industry, Trade & Labour · Information & Diaspora · Intelligence & Atomic Energy · Internal Affairs · Minorities · Energy and Water Resources · Pensioner Affairs · Public Security · Justice · Regional Development · Religious Services · Science & Technology · Strategic Affairs · Tourism · Transportation, National Infrastructure & Road Safety · Welfare & Social Services · Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Inactive portfolios: Acting Prime Minister · Development · Labour · Jerusalem Affairs  · Rationing & Supply

A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime minister is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet. In a minority of systems, notably in semi-presidential systems of government, a prime minister is the official who is appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives of the head of state.

In parliamentary systems fashioned after the Westminster system, the prime minister is the presiding and actual head of the government and head of the executive branch. In such systems, the head of state or the head of state's official representative (i.e. the monarch, president, or governor-general) usually holds a largely ceremonial position, although often with reserve powers.

The prime minister is often, but not always, a member of parliament and is expected with other ministers to ensure the passage of bills through the legislature. In some monarchies the monarch may also exercise executive powers (known as the royal prerogative) which are constitutionally vested in the crown and may be exercised without the approval of parliament.

As well as being head of government, a prime minister may have other roles or titles—the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, for example, is also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service.^[1] Prime ministers may take other ministerial posts—for example during the Second World War, Winston Churchill was also Minister of Defence (although there was then no Ministry of Defence).

Etymology[link]

The prime ministers of five members of the Commonwealth of Nations at the 1944 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

The first actual usage of the term prime minister or Premier Ministre was used by Cardinal Richelieu when in 1625 he was named to head the royal council as prime minister of France. Louis XIV and his descendants generally attempted to avoid giving this title to their chief ministers. The term prime minister in the sense that we know it originated in the 18th century in the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]}

History[link]

Since medieval times monarchs of England and the United Kingdom had ministers in whom they placed special trust and who were regarded as the head of the government. Examples were Thomas Cromwell under Henry VIII; William Cecil, Lord Burghley under Elizabeth I; Clarendon under Charles II and Godolphin under Queen Anne. These ministers held a variety of formal posts, but were commonly known as "the minister", the "chief minister", the "first minister" and finally the "prime minister".

The power of these ministers depended entirely on the personal favour of the monarch. Although managing the parliament was among the necessary skills of holding high office, they did not depend on a parliamentary majority for their power. Although there was a cabinet, it was appointed entirely by the monarch, and the monarch usually presided over its meetings.

When the monarch grew tired of a first minister, he or she could be dismissed, or worse: Cromwell was executed and Clarendon driven into exile when they lost favour. Kings sometimes divided power equally between two or more ministers to prevent one minister from becoming too powerful. Late in Anne's reign, for example, the Tory ministers Harley and St John shared power.

Post-English Civil War (1642–1651)[link]

In the mid 17th century, after the English Civil War and the Protectorate, Parliament had strengthened its position and it emerged even more powerful after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The monarch could not establish any law or impose any tax without its permission. Thus it has been said that the House of Commons became a part of the government and it has been only a further step of this development that a new kind of prime minister should emerge.

This turning point in the evolution of the prime ministership came with the death of Anne in 1714 and the accession of George I. George spoke no English, spent much of his time at his home in Hanover, and had neither knowledge of nor interest in the details of English government. In these circumstances it was inevitable that the king's first minister would become the de facto head of the government.

From 1721 this was the Whig politician Robert Walpole, who held office for twenty-one years. Walpole chaired cabinet meetings, appointed all the other ministers, dispensed the royal patronage and packed the House of Commons with his supporters. Under Walpole, the doctrine of cabinet solidarity developed. Walpole required that no minister other than himself have private dealings with the king, and also that when the cabinet had agreed on a policy, all ministers must defend it in public or resign. As a later prime minister, Lord Melbourne, said: "It matters not what we say, gentlemen, so long as we all say the same thing."

Walpole always denied that he was "prime minister", and throughout the 18th century parliamentarians and legal scholars continued to deny that any such position was known to the Constitution. The title was first referred to on government documents during the administration of Benjamin Disraeli but did not appear in the formal British Order of precedence until 1905. George II and George III made strenuous efforts to reclaim the personal power of the monarch, but the increasing complexity and expense of government meant that a minister who could command the loyalty of the Commons was increasingly necessary. The long tenure of the wartime Prime Minister Pitt the Younger (1783–1801), combined with the mental illness of George III, consolidated the power of the post.

The prestige of British institutions in the 19th century and the growth of the British Empire saw the British model of cabinet government, headed by a prime minister, widely copied, both in other European countries and in British colonial territories as they developed self-government. In some places alternative titles such as "premier", "chief minister", "first minister of state", "president of the council" or "chancellor" were adopted, but the essentials of the office were the same.

By the late 20th century the majority of the world's countries had a prime minister or equivalent minister, holding office under either a constitutional monarchy or a ceremonial president. The main exceptions to this system have been the United States and the presidential republics in Latin America, modelled on the U.S. system, in which the president directly exercises executive authority.

Bahrain's Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifah bin Sulman Al Khalifah has been in the post since 1971, making him the longest serving non-elected Prime Minister.

Prime ministers in republics and in monarchies[link] The post of prime minister may be encountered both in constitutional monarchies (such as Belgium, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Norway, Malaysia, Morocco, Spain,[2] Sweden, Thailand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom), and in parliamentary republics in which the head of state is an elected official (such as Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Ireland, Pakistan, Portugal, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Turkey). This contrasts with the presidential system, in which the president (or equivalent) is both the head of state and the head of the government. See also "First Minister", "Premier", "Chief Minister", "Chancellor", "Taoiseach" and "Secretary of State": alternative titles usually equivalent in meaning to, or translated as, "prime minister". The head of government of the People's Republic of China is referred to as the Premier. In some presidential or semi-presidential systems, such as those of France, Russia or South Korea, the prime minister is an official generally appointed by the president but usually approved by the legislature and responsible for carrying out the directives of the president and managing the civil service. (The premier of the Republic of China is also appointed by the president, but requires no approval by the legislature. Appointment of the prime minister of France requires no approval by the parliament either, but the parliament may force the resignation of the government. In these systems, it is possible for the president and the prime minister to be from different political parties if the legislature is controlled by a party different from that of the president. When it arises, such a state of affairs is usually referred to as (political) cohabitation. Entry into Office[link] In parliamentary systems a prime minister may enter into office by several means. By appointment by the head of state, without reference to parliament: While in practice most prime ministers under the Westminster system (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia, India and the United Kingdom) are the leaders of the largest party in parliament, technically the appointment of the prime minister is a royal prerogative exercised by the monarch or the governor-general. In India, the Prime Ministerial candidate must be a member of parliament either Lok Sabha (Lower House) or Rajya Sabha (Upper House). No parliamentary vote takes place on who is forming a government. However as the government will have to outline its legislative programme to parliament in, for example, the Speech from the Throne, the speech is sometimes used to test parliamentary support. A defeat of the Speech is taken to mean a loss of confidence and so requires either a new draft, resignation, or a request for a dissolution of parliament. Until the early 20th century governments when defeated in a general election remained in power until their Speech from the Throne was defeated and then resigned. No government has done so for one hundred years, though Edward Heath in 1974 did delay his resignation while he explored whether he could form a government with Liberal party support. In such systems unwritten (and unenforceable) constitutional conventions often outline the order in which people are asked to form a government. If the prime minister resigns after a general election, the monarch usually asks the leader of the opposition to form a government. Where however a resignation occurs during a parliament session (unless the government has itself collapsed) the monarch will ask another member of the government to form a government. While previously the monarch had some leeway in whom to ask, all British political parties now elect their leaders (until 1965 the Conservatives chose their leader by informal consultation). The last time the monarch had a choice over the appointment occurred in 1963 when the Earl of Home was asked to become Prime Minister ahead of Rab Butler. During the period between the time it is clear that the incumbent government has been defeated at a general election, and the actual swearing-in of the new prime minister by the monarch or governor-general, that person is variously referred to as the "prime minister-elect", "...-designate" etc. Neither term is strictly correct from a constitutional point of view, but they have wide acceptance. In a situation in which a ruling party elects or appoints a new leader, the incoming leader will usually be referred as "prime minister-in-waiting". An example or this situation was in 2003 in Canada when Paul Martin was elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada while Jean Chrétien was still prime minister. Appointment by the head of state after parliament nominates a candidate: Example: The Republic of Ireland where the President of Ireland appoints the Taoiseach on the nomination of the Dáil Éireann. The head of state nominates a candidate for prime minister who is then submitted to parliament for approval before appointment as prime minister: Example: Spain, where the King sends a nomination to parliament for approval. Also Germany where under the German Basic Law (constitution) the Bundestag votes on a candidate nominated by the federal president. In these cases, parliament can choose another candidate who then would be appointed by the head of state. The head of state appoints a prime minister who has a set timescale within which s/he must gain a vote of confidence: (Example: Italy, Romania, Thailand) The head of state appoints the leader of the political party with the majority of the votes in the Parliament as Prime Minister: (Example: Greece) Direct election by parliament: (Example: Japan, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan.) Direct election by popular vote: (Example: Israel, 1996–2001, where the prime minister was elected in a general election, with no regard to political affiliation.) Nomination by a state office holder other than the head of state or his/her representative: (Example: Under the modern Swedish Instrument of Government, the power to appoint someone to form a government has been moved from the monarch to the Speaker of Parliament and the parliament itself. The speaker nominates a candidate, who is then elected to prime minister (statsminister) by the parliament if an absolute majority of the members of parliament does not vote no (i.e. he can be elected even if more MP:s vote no than yes). Prime ministers and constitutions[link] The position, power and status of prime ministers differ depending on the age of the constitution. Australia's constitution makes no mention of a Prime Minister of Australia. Bangladesh's constitution clearly outlines the functions and powers of the Prime Minister, and also details the process of his/her appointment and dismissal. The People's Republic of China constitution set a premier just one place below the president of the PRC. While the president deals with international problems, the premier deals with national problems. For example, the earth quake in 2008, the premier will be the first to arrive, then the president arrived after to just examine the situation. Premier read as (Simplified Chinese: 总理; pinyin: Zŏnglĭ) in Chinese. Canada's constitution, being a 'mixed' or hybrid constitution (a constitution that is partly formally codified and partly uncodified) originally did not make any reference whatsoever to a prime minister, with her or his specific duties and method of appointment instead dictated by "convention". In the Constitution Act, 1982, passing reference to a "Prime Minister of Canada" is added, though only regarding the composition of conferences of federal and provincial first ministers. Germany's Basic Law (1949) lists the powers, functions and duties of the federal chancellor. Greece's constitution (1975) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Greece. India's constitution (1950) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of India. Ireland's constitution (1937), provides for the office of Taoiseach in detail, listing powers, functions and duties. Italy's constitution (1948) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Italy. Japan's constitution (1946) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Japan. Malta's constitution (1964) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Malta. Malaysia's constitution (1957) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Pakistan's constitution (1973) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Spain's constitution (1978) regulates the appointment, dismissal, powers, functions and duties of the President of the Government. Thailand's constitution (1932) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Thailand. The United Kingdom's constitution, being uncodified and largely unwritten, makes no mention of a prime minister. Though it had de facto existed for centuries, its first mention in official state documents did not occur until the first decade of the twentieth century. Accordingly, it is often said "not to exist", indeed there are several instances of parliament declaring this to be the case. The prime minister sits in the cabinet solely by virtue of occupying another office, either First Lord of the Treasury (office in commission), or more rarely Chancellor of the Exchequer (the last of whom was Balfour in 1905). Exit from office[link] Most prime ministers in parliamentary systems are not appointed for a specific term in office and in effect may remain in power through a number of elections and parliaments. For example, Margaret Thatcher was only ever appointed prime minister on one occasion, in 1979. She remained continuously in power until 1990, though she used the assembly of each House of Commons after a general election to reshuffle her cabinet. Some states, however, do have a term of office of the prime minister linked to the period in office of the parliament. Hence the Irish Taoiseach is formally 'renominated' after every general election. (Some constitutional experts have questioned whether this process is actually in keeping with the provisions of the Irish constitution, which appear to suggest that a taoiseach should remain in office, without the requirement of a renomination, unless s/he has clearly lost the general election.) The position of prime minister is normally chosen from the political party that commands majority of seats in the lower house of parliament. In parliamentary systems, governments are generally required to have the confidence of the lower house of parliament (though a small minority of parliaments, by giving a right to block supply to upper houses, in effect make the cabinet responsible to both houses, though in reality upper houses, even when they have the power, rarely exercise it). Where they lose a vote of confidence, have a motion of no confidence passed against them, or where they lose supply, most constitutional systems require either: a) a letter of resignation or b) a request for parliamentary dissolution. The latter in effect allows the government to appeal the opposition of parliament to the electorate. However in many jurisdictions a head of state may refuse a parliamentary dissolution, requiring the resignation of the prime minister and his or her government. In most modern parliamentary systems, the prime minister is the person who decides when to request a parliamentary dissolution. Older constitutions often vest this power in the cabinet. (In the United Kingdom, for example, the tradition whereby it is the prime minister who requests a dissolution of parliament dates back to 1918. Prior to then, it was the entire government that made the request. Similarly, though the modern 1937 Irish constitution grants to the Taoiseach the right to make the request, the earlier 1922 Irish Free State Constitution vested the power in the Executive Council (the then name for the Irish cabinet). Titles[link] Different terms are used to describe prime ministers. In Germany and Austria the prime minister is actually titled Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler). In the Russian constitution the prime minister is actually titled Chairman of the government while the Irish prime minister is called the Taoiseach (which is rendered into English as prime minister), and in Israel he is 'Rosh HaMemshalah' meaning head of government. In many cases, though commonly used, "prime minister" is not the official title of the office-holder; the Spanish prime minister is the President of the Government (Presidente del Gobierno). Other common forms include president of the council of ministers (for example in Italy, Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri), President of the Executive Council, or Minister-President. In the Scandinavian countries the prime minister is called statsminister in the native languages (i.e. minister of state). In federations, the head of government of subnational entities such as provinces is most commonly known as the premier, chief minister, governor or minister-president. In non-Commonwealth countries the prime minister may be entitled to the style of Excellency like a president. In some Commonwealth countries prime ministers and former prime ministers are styled Right Honourable due to their position, for example in the Prime Minister of Canada. In the United Kingdom the prime minister and former prime ministers may appear to also be styled Right Honourable, however this is not due to their position as head of government but as a privilege of being current members of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.[3] In the UK where devolved government is in place, the leaders of the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh Governments are styled First Minister. In India, The Prime Minister is referred to as "Pradhan Mantri", meaning "prime minister". In Pakistan, the prime minister is referred to as "Wazir-e-Azam", meaning "Grand Vizier". Description of the role[link] Wilfried Martens, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium, described his role as follows: First of all [the Prime Minister] must listen a lot, and when deep disagreements occur, he must suggest a solution to the matter. This can be done in different ways. Sometimes during the discussion, I note the elements of the problem and think of a proposal I can formulate to the Council (cabinet), the Secretary taking notes. The Ministers then insist on changing game ages. The Prime Minister can also make a proposal which leaves enough room for amendments in order to keep the current discussion on the right tracks. When a solution must be found in order to reach a consensus, he can force one or two Ministers to join or resign.[citation needed] Lists of prime ministers[link] The following table groups the list of past and present prime ministers and details information available in those lists. Government List starts Parties shown Term given by years or dates Incumbent Abkhazia 1995 - dates Leonid Lakerbaia Afghanistan 1927 - years (Post abolished) Albania (List) 1912 - years Sali Berisha Algeria 1962 yes years Ahmed Ouyahia Andorra 1982 - years Antoni Martí Angola 1975 - dates (Post abolished) Anguilla 1976 yes dates Hubert Hughes Antigua and Barbuda 1981 - years Baldwin Spencer Armenia 1918 yes dates Tigran Sargsyan Aruba 1986 - dates Mike Eman Australia (List) 1901 yes dates Julia Gillard Austria 1918 yes years Werner Faymann Azerbaijan 1918 yes dates Artur Rasizade Bahamas 1967 - dates Hubert Ingraham Bahrain 1970 - years Sheikh Khalifah bin Sulman Al Khalifah Bangladesh 1971 yes dates Sheikh Hasina Barbados 1954 yes dates Freundel Stuart Belarus 1919 - dates Mikhail Myasnikovich Belgium 1831 yes dates Elio Di Rupo Belize 1973 yes years Dean Barrow Benin 1957 yes dates Pascal Koupaki Bermuda 1968 yes dates Paula Cox Bhutan 1952 - dates Jigme Thinley Bosnia and Herzegovina 1943 - dates Vjekoslav Bevanda Botswana 1965 yes dates (Post abolished) Brazil 1847 yes dates (Post abolished) British Virgin Islands 1967 yes dates Orlando Smith Bulgaria 1879 yes dates Boyko Borisov Burkina Faso 1971 - dates Luc-Adolphe Tiao Burundi 1961 yes dates (Post abolished) Cambodia 1945 - years Hun Sen Cameroon 1960 - dates Philémon Yang Canada (List) 1867 yes dates Stephen Harper Cape Verde 1975 - dates José Maria Neves Cayman Islands 1992 yes dates McKeeva Bush Central African Republic 1958 - dates Faustin-Archange Touadéra Chad 1978 - dates Emmanuel Nadingar People's Republic of China (List) 1949 - dates Wen Jiabao Comoros 1957 yes dates (Post abolished) Congo (Brazzaville) 1957 yes dates (Post abolished) Congo (Kinshasa) (List) 1960 yes dates Augustin Matata Ponyo Cook Islands 1965 yes dates Henry Puna Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 1957 yes dates Jeannot Ahoussou-Kouadio Croatia 1939 - dates Zoran Milanović Cuba 1940 - dates Raúl Castro Curaçao 2010 - dates Gerrit Schotte Northern Cyprus 1983 yes dates İrsen Küçük Czech Republic 1993 - years Petr Nečas Denmark (List) 1848 - years Helle Thorning-Schmidt Djibouti 1977 - dates Dileita Mohamed Dileita Dominica 1960 - dates Roosevelt Skerrit East Timor 2002 - dates Xanana Gusmão Egypt (List) 1878 - years Kamal Ganzouri Equatorial Guinea 1963 - dates Ignacio Milam Tang Estonia 1918 - dates Andrus Ansip Ethiopia 1942 yes dates Meles Zenawi Faroe Islands 1946 - years Kaj Leo Johannesen Fiji 1966 - dates Frank Bainimarama (interim) Finland 1917 yes years Jyrki Katainen France (List) 1589 - years François Fillon Gabon 1957 yes dates Raymond Ndong Sima The Gambia 1961 - dates (Post abolished) Ghana 1957 - dates (Post abolished) Georgia 1918 yes dates Nika Gilauri Germany (List) 1871/1949 yes dates Angela Merkel Gibraltar 1964 yes dates Fabian Picardo Greece (List) 1833 - dates Lucas Papademos Greenland 1979 - years Kuupik Kleist Grenada 1954 - years Tillman Thomas Guernsey 2007 - dates Lyndon Trott Guinea 1972 - dates Mohamed Said Fofana Guinea-Bissau 1973 - dates Adiato Djaló Nandigna (acting) Guyana 1953 - dates Sam Hinds Haiti 1988 - dates Garry Conille Hungary (List) 1848 - dates Viktor Orbán Iceland 1904 - dates Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir India (List) 1947 yes dates Manmohan Singh Indonesia 1945 yes dates (Post abolished) Iran (List) 1824 - years (Post abolished) Iraq 1920 - years Nouri al-Maliki Ireland 1937 yes dates Enda Kenny Israel (List) 1948 - years Benjamin Netanyahu Italy (List) 1861 - years Mario Monti Jamaica 1959 - years Portia Simpson-Miller Japan (List) 1885 - dates Yoshihiko Noda Jersey 2005 - dates Ian Gorst Jordan 1944 - dates Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh Kazakhstan 1920 - years Karim Massimov Kenya 1963 - dates Raila Odinga North Korea 1948 - years Choe Yong-rim South Korea (List) 1948 - years Kim Hwang-sik Kosovo 1945 yes dates Hashim Thaçi Kuwait 1962 yes dates Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Kyrgyzstan 1924 - dates Omurbek Babanov Laos 1941 - years Thongsing Thammavong Latvia 1918 yes dates Valdis Dombrovskis Lebanon 1926 - dates Najib Mikati Lesotho 1965 yes dates Pakalitha Mosisili Libya 1951 - dates Abdurrahim El-Keib Liechtenstein 1921 yes dates Klaus Tschütscher Lithuania 1918 yes dates Andrius Kubilius Luxembourg 1959 - years Jean-Claude Juncker Macedonia 1943 yes dates Nikola Gruevski Madagascar 1833 - dates Omer Beriziky Malawi 1963 yes dates (Post abolished) Malaysia 1957 yes years Najib Razak Mali 1957 yes dates Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé Malta 1921 yes years Lawrence Gonzi Isle of Man 1986 - years Allan Bell Mauritania 1957 yes dates Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf Mauritius 1961 yes dates Navin Ramgoolam Moldova 1990 - dates Vlad Filat Monaco 1911 n/a dates Michel Roger Mongolia 1912 yes dates Sükhbaataryn Batbold Montenegro 1879 yes dates Igor Lukšić Montserrat 1960 yes dates Reuben Meade Morocco 1955 yes years Abdelilah Benkirane Mozambique 1974 yes dates Aires Ali Myanmar (Burma) 1948 yes dates (Post abolished) Nagorno-Karabakh 1992 no dates Arayik Harutyunyan Namibia 1990 yes dates Nahas Angula Nepal 1953 - dates Baburam Bhattarai Netherlands (List) 1848 yes dates Mark Rutte New Zealand (List) 1856 yes dates John Key Newfoundland 1855 yes dates (Post abolished) Niger 1958 yes dates Brigi Rafini Nigeria 1960 yes dates (Post abolished) Niue 1974 - dates Toke Talagi Norfolk Island 1896 - dates David Buffett Norway 1814 yes years Jens Stoltenberg Pakistan (List) 1947 - dates Yousaf Raza Gillani Palestinian National Authority 2003 yes dates Salam Fayyad Papua New Guinea 1975 yes years Peter O'Neill Peru 1975 yes dates Oscar Valdés Philippines 1899 yes dates (Post abolished) Poland (List) 1917 - dates Donald Tusk Portugal (List) 1834 yes dates Pedro Passos Coelho Qatar 1970 - dates Hamad ibn Jassim ibn Jabr Al Thani Romania 1862 - years Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu Russia (List) 1864/1905 yes dates Dmitry Medvedev Rwanda 1960 yes dates Pierre Habumuremyi Saint Kitts and Nevis 1960 - dates Denzil Douglas Saint Lucia 1960 - dates Stephenson King Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1956 - dates Ralph Gonsalves Samoa 1875 yes dates Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi São Tomé and Principe 1974 yes dates Patrice Trovoada Saudi Arabia 1953 no dates King Abdullah Senegal 1957 yes dates Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye Serbia 1805 yes years Mirko Cvetković Seychelles 1970 yes years (Post abolished) Sierra Leone 1954 yes dates (Post abolished) Singapore 1959 - dates Lee Hsien Loong Sint Maarten 2010 - dates Sarah Wescot-Williams Slovakia 1993 - dates Robert Fico Slovenia 1943 yes years Janez Janša Solomon Islands 1949 yes dates Gordon Darcy Lilo Somalia 1949 yes dates Abdiweli Mohamed Ali South Africa 1910 - dates (Post abolished) South Ossetia 1991 - dates Vadim Brovtsev Spain (List) 1705 yes years Mariano Rajoy Sri Lanka (List) 1948 - dates D. M. Jayaratne Sudan 1952 yes dates (Post abolished) Suriname 1949 yes dates (Post abolished) Swaziland 1967 - years Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini Sweden (List) 1876 yes years Fredrik Reinfeldt Syria 1920 - dates Adel Safar Taiwan (Republic of China) (List) 1911 - dates Sean Chen Tajikistan 1924 - dates Okil Okilov Tanzania 1960 yes dates Mizengo Pinda Thailand (List) 1932 yes dates Yingluck Shinawatra Togo 1956 yes dates Gilbert Houngbo Tokelau 1992 - dates Keli Kalolo Tonga 1876 - years Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō Trinidad and Tobago 1956 - dates Kamla Persad-Bissessar Tunisia 1969 - dates Hamadi Jebali Turkmenistan 1924 - dates (Post abolished) Turkey 1920 yes dates Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Turks and Caicos Islands 1976 yes dates vacant Tuvalu 1975 n/a dates Willy Telavi Uganda 1961 yes dates Amama Mbabazi Ukraine (List) 1917 - dates Mykola Azarov United Arab Emirates 1971 - years Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum United Kingdom (List) 1721 yes dates David Cameron Uzbekistan 1924 - dates Shavkat Mirziyoyev Vanuatu 1980 yes dates Sato Kilman Vatican 1644 - years Tarcisio Bertone Vietnam 1976 yes dates Nguyễn Tấn Dũng Yemen 1990 yes years Mohammed Basindawa Western Sahara 1976 no years Abdelkader Taleb Oumar Zambia 1964 yes dates (Post abolished) Zimbabwe 1923 - dates Morgan Tsvangirai

Julia Gillard, the current Prime Minister of Australia Khalifa Al Khalifa, the current Prime Minister of Bahrain Boyko Borisov, the current Prime Minister of Bulgaria Stephen Harper, the current Prime Minister of Canada Zoran Milanović, the current Prime Minister of Croatia Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the current Prime Minister of Denmark Dileita Dileita, the current Prime Minister of Djibouti Kamal Ganzouri the current Prime Minister of Egypt, and third post-revolutionary Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, the current Prime Minister of Finland Angela Merkel, the current Chancellor of Germany Viktor Orban, the current Prime Minister of Hungary Manmohan Singh, the current Prime Minister of India Nouri Al Maliki, the current Prime Minister of Iraq Mario Monti, the current Prime Minister of Italy Yoshihiko Noda, the current Prime Minister of Japan Raila Odinga, the current Prime Minister of Kenya Nikola Gruevski, Premier of Republic of Macedonia Najib Tun Razak, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdelilah Benkirane, the current Prime Minister of Morocco Mark Rutte, the current Prime Minister of the Netherlands Yousaf Raza Gillani, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan Donald Tusk, the current Prime Minister of Poland Hamad Al Thani, the current Prime Minister of Qatar Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, the current Prime Minister of Romania Mirko Cvetković, the current Prime Minister of Serbia Robert Fico, the current Prime Minister of Slovakia Yingluck Shinawatra, the current Prime Minister of Thailand Hamadi Jebali, the current Prime Minister of Tunisia Mohammed Al Maktoum, the current Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates David Cameron, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

See also[link]

• Chancellor
• Chief Minister
• Governor-General
• Head of state
• Monarch
• President

Lists:

• List of current heads of state and government
• List of democracy and election-related topics

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Website of the Prime Minister of Albania
• Website of the Prime Minister of Australia
• Website of the Prime Minister of Barbados
• Website of the Prime Minister of Belgium
• Website of the Prime Minister of Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Website of the Prime Minister of Canada
• Website of the Prime Minister of Croatia
• Website of the Prime Minister of France
• Website of the Prime Minister of Georgia
• Website of the Federal Chancellor of Germany
• Website of the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic (Greece)
• Website of the Prime Minister of Hungary
• Website of the Prime Minister of Iceland
• Website of the Prime Minister of India
• Website of the Taoiseach of Ireland
• Website of the Prime Minister of Israel
• Website of the Prime Minister of Italy
• Website of the Prime Minister of Japan
• Website of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo
• Website of the Prime Minister of South Korea
• Website of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Website of the Prime Minister of Malta
• Website of the Prime Minister of The Netherlands
• Website of the Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Website of the Prime Minister of Norway
• Website of the Prime Minister of Poland
• Website of the Prime Minister of Romania
• Website of the Prime Minister of Russia
• Website of the Prime Minister of Singapore
• Website of the Prime Minister of Slovakia
• Website of the Prime Minister of Slovenia
• Website of the President of the Government of Spain
• Website of the Prime Minister of Sweden
• /Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam
• Website of the Prime Minister of Thailand
• Website of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
• Website of the Prime Minister of Vietnam
• Website of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Benjamin Netanyahu בנימין נתניהו
Prime Minister of Israel
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 March 2009
President	Shimon Peres
Deputy	Silvan Shalom Moshe Ya'alon Shaul Mofaz
Preceded by	Ehud Olmert
In office 18 June 1996 – 6 July 1999
President	Ezer Weizman
Preceded by	Shimon Peres
Succeeded by	Ehud Barak
Leader of the Opposition
In office 28 March 2006 – 31 March 2009
Prime Minister	Ariel Sharon Ehud Olmert
Preceded by	Amir Peretz
Succeeded by	Tzipi Livni
Minister of Finance
In office 28 February 2003 – 9 August 2005
Prime Minister	Ariel Sharon
Preceded by	Silvan Shalom
Succeeded by	Ehud Olmert
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 6 November 2002 – 28 February 2003
Prime Minister	Ariel Sharon
Preceded by	Shimon Peres
Succeeded by	Silvan Shalom
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 26 December 1988 – 11 November 1991
Prime Minister	Yitzhak Shamir
Minister	Moshe Arens Moshe Arens
Preceded by	Roni Milo
Succeeded by	Yossi Beilin
Personal details
Born	(1949-10-21) 21 October 1949 (age 62) Tel Aviv, Israel
Political party	Likud
Spouse(s)	Miriam Weizmann (Until 1978) Fleur Cates (1981–1984) Sara Ben-Artzi (1991–present)
Relations	Benzion Netanyahu (father, deceased)
Children	3
Residence	Jerusalem
Alma mater	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S.) MIT Sloan School of Management (M.S.)
Religion	Judaism
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Israel
Service/branch	Israel Defence Forces
Years of service	1967 - 1973
Rank	Captain
Unit	Sayeret Matkal
Battles/wars	War of Attrition Yom Kippur War

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין "בִּיבִּי" נְתַנְיָהוּ (help·info); born 21 October 1949) is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.

Netanyahu is the first Israeli prime minister born in Israel after the founding of the state. Netanyahu joined the Israeli Defense Forces during the 1967 Six-Day War, and became a team leader in the Sayeret Matkal special forces unit. He took part in many missions, including Operation Gift and Operation Isotope, during which he was shot in the shoulder. He fought on the front lines in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, taking part in special forces raids along the Suez Canal, and then leading a commando assault deep into Syrian territory.^[1] He achieved the rank of captain before being discharged. Netanyahu served as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988, member of the Likud Party, and was Prime Minister from June 1996 to July 1999.

Netanyahu withdrew from politics after losing the 1999 election for Prime Minister to Ehud Barak. In 2002 he returned as Foreign Minister (2002–03) and Finance Minister (2003 – August 2005) in Ariel Sharon's governments, but he departed over disagreements regarding the Gaza Disengagement Plan. He retook the Likud leadership on 20 December 2005, after Sharon left to form a new party.^[2] In the 2006 election, Likud did poorly, winning 12 seats.^[3] In December 2006, Netanyahu became the official Opposition Leader in the Knesset and Chairman of the Likud Party. In August 2007, he retained the Likud leadership by beating Moshe Feiglin in party elections.^[4] Following the 10 February 2009 parliamentary election, in which Likud placed second and right-wing parties won a majority,^[5] Netanyahu formed a coalition government.^[6][7]

His brother, Israeli Special Forces commander Yonatan Netanyahu, died in 1976 while commanding a counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission. Another brother, Iddo Netanyahu, is an Israeli playwright.

Biography[link]

Early life, military service, education, and early public career[link]

Netanyahu was born in 1949 in Tel Aviv to Zila (née Segal; 1912–2000) and professor Benzion Netanyahu (1910-2012), the middle of three children. He was initially raised and educated in Jerusalem. Between 1956 and 1958, and again in 1963–67,^[8] his family lived in the United States in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he attended and graduated from the Cheltenham High School and was active in a debate club. To this day, he speaks American English with a Philadelphia accent.^[9]

After graduating from high school in 1967, Netanyahu returned to Israel to enlist in the IDF. He trained as a combat soldier and became a team leader in an elite special forces unit of the IDF, Sayeret Matkal. He was involved in many missions, including the rescue of the hijacked Sabena Flight 571 in May 1972 in which he was wounded by friendly fire.^[10] He took part in numerous cross-border assault raids during the War of Attrition. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, he fought in special forces raids along the Suez Canal, and then led a commando team deep into Syrian territory.

After his army service Netanyahu returned to the United States, studied and earned a B.S. degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology^[11] in 1975, an M.S. degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1977. At that time he changed his name to Benjamin Ben Nitai (Nitai, a reference to both Mount Nitai and to the eponymous Jewish sage Nittai of Arbela, was a pen name often used by his father for articles).^[9] Years later, in an interview with the media, Netanyahu clarified that he decided to do so to make it easier for Americans to pronounce his name. This fact has been used by his political rivals to accuse him indirectly of a lack of Israeli national identity and loyalty.^[12]

In 1976 Netanyahu lost his older brother Yonatan Netanyahu, who served as the commander of the elite Israeli army commando unit Sayeret Matkal and was killed in action during the counter-terrorism hostage-rescue mission Operation Entebbe in which his unit rescued more than 100 hostages hijacked and flown to the Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

While studying, Netanyahu worked at the Boston Consulting Group in Boston, Massachusetts.^[13]

After graduating in 1977 Netanyahu returned to Israel and had a brief career as a furniture company's chief marketing officer. In addition between 1978 and 1980 he formed the Jonathan Netanyahu anti-Terror Institute,^[8] a non-governmental organization devoted to the study of terrorism, which conducted a number of international conferences about terrorism. During this period Netanyahu made his first connections with several Israeli politicians, including Minister Moshe Arens, who appointed him as his Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., a position he held from 1982 until 1984.^{[citation needed]}

Between 1984 and 1988 Netanyahu served as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, he was voted the 18th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.^[14] In 2010, the British magazine New Statesman listed Netanyahu at 11th on the list of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures 2010".^[15]

Early political career: 1988–96[link]

Prior to the 1988 Israeli legislative election Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the Likud party. In the internal elections in the Likud center Netanyahu became the fifth place on the list. Later on he was elected to as a Knesset member of the 12th Knesset, and was appointed as a deputy of the foreign minister Moshe Arens, and later on David Levy. Netanyahu and Levy did not cooperate and the rivalry between the two only intensified afterwards. During the Madrid Conference of 1991 Netanyahu was among members the Israeli delegation headed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. After the Madrid Conference Netanyahu was appointed as Deputy Minister in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.^{[citation needed]}

Following the defeat of the Likud party in the 1992 Israeli legislative elections the Likud party held a primary election in 1993 to select its leader, and Netanyahu was victorious, defeating Benny Begin, son of the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and veteran politician David Levy^[16] (Sharon initially sought Likud party leadership as well, but quickly withdrew when it was evident that he was attracting minimal support). Shamir retired from politics shortly after the Likud's defeat in the 1992 elections.^{[citation needed]}

Following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, his temporary successor Shimon Peres decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process.^[17] Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for Prime Minister in the 1996 Israeli legislative election which took place on 26 May 1996 and were the first Israeli elections in which Israelis elected their Prime Minister directly. Netanyahu hired American Republican political operative Arthur Finkelstein to run his campaign, and although the American style of sound bites and sharp attacks elicited harsh criticism from inside Israel, it proved effective. (The method was later copied by Ehud Barak during the 1999 election campaign in which he beat Netanyahu.) Netanyahu won the election, becoming the youngest person in the history of the position and the first Israeli Prime Minister to be born in the State of Israel.^{[citation needed]} (Yitzhak Rabin was born in Jerusalem, under the British Mandate of Palestine, prior to the 1948 founding of the Israeli state).

Netanyahu's victory over the pre-election favorite Shimon Peres surprised many. The main catalyst in the downfall of the latter was a wave of suicide bombings shortly before the elections; on 3 and 4 March 1996, Palestinians carried out two suicide bombings, killing 32 Israelis, with Peres seemingly unable to stop the attacks. Unlike Peres, Netanyahu did not trust Yasser Arafat and conditioned any progress at the peace process on the Palestinian National Authority fulfilling its obligations – mainly fighting terrorism, and ran with the campaign slogan "Netanyahu – making a safe peace". However, although Netanyahu won the election for Prime Minister, Labor won the Knesset elections, beating the Likud–Gesher–Tzomet alliance, meaning Netanyahu had to rely on a coalition with the Ultra-orthodox parties, Shas and UTJ (whose social welfare policies flew in the face of his capitalistic outlook) in order to govern.^{[citation needed]}

First Prime Ministership: 1996–99[link]

Netanyahu with Yasser Arafat and Nabil Shaath at the World Economic Forum in Davos, 1997

Netanyahu sitting with Madeleine Albright and Yassir Arafat at the Wye River Memorandum

A spate of suicide bombings reinforced the Likud position for security. Hamas claimed responsibility for most of the bombings.

As Prime Minister Netanyahu raised many questions about many central premises of the Oslo peace process. One of his main points was disagreement with the Oslo premise that the negotiations should proceed in stages, meaning that concessions should be made to Palestinians before any resolution was reached on major issues, such as the status of Jerusalem, and the amending of the Palestinian National Charter. Oslo supporters had claimed that the multi-stage approach would build goodwill among Palestinians and would propel them to seek reconciliation when these major issues were raised in later stages. Netanyahu said that these concessions only gave encouragement to extremist elements, without receiving any tangible gestures in return. He called for tangible gestures of Palestinian goodwill in return for Israeli concessions. Despite his stated differences with the Oslo Accords, Prime Minister Netanyahu continued their implementation, but his Prime Ministership saw a marked slow-down in the Peace Process.

In 1996, Netanyahu and Jerusalem's mayor Ehud Olmert decided to open an exit in the Arab Quarter for the Western Wall Tunnel, which prior Prime Minister Shimon Peres had instructed to be put on hold for the sake of peace.^[18] This sparked three days of rioting by Palestinians, resulting in both Israelis and Palestinians being killed.^[19]

In January 1997 Netanyahu signed the Hebron Protocol with the Palestinian Authority which resulted in the redeployment of Israeli forces in Hebron and the turnover of civilian authority in much of the area to the Palestinian Authority.

Eventually, the lack of progress of the peace process led to new negotiations which produced the Wye River Memorandum in 1998 which detailed the steps to be taken by the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 1995. It was signed by Netanyahu and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, and on 17 November 1998, Israel's 120 member parliament, the Knesset, approved the Wye River Memorandum by a vote of 75–19.

As Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized a policy of "three no(s)": no withdrawal from the Golan Heights, no discussion of the case of Jerusalem, no negotiations under any preconditions.^[20]

Netanyahu was opposed by the political left wing in Israel and also lost support from the right because of his concessions to the Palestinians in Hebron and elsewhere, and due to his negotiations with Arafat generally. Netanyahu lost favor with the Israeli public after a long chain of scandals involving his marriage and corruption charges. In 1997, police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted on corruption charges for influence-peddling. He was accused of appointing an attorney general who would reduce the charges and prosecutors ruled that there was insufficient evidence to go to trial.^[21] In 1999, Netanyahu faced another scandal when the Israel Police recommended that he be tried for corruption for $100,000 in free services from a government contractor; Israel's attorney general did not prosecute, citing difficulties with evidence.^[22]

After being defeated by Ehud Barak in the 1999 election for Prime Minister, Netanyahu temporarily retired from politics.^[23]

Political downturn and recovery: 2000–03[link]

Benjamin Netanyahu with Vladimir Putin at the Jewish Community Centre in Moscow, Russia, December 2000

With the fall of the Barak government in late 2000, Netanyahu expressed his desire to return to politics. By law, Barak's resignation was supposed to lead to elections for the prime minister position only. Netanyahu insisted that general elections should be held, claiming that otherwise it would be impossible to have a stable government. Netanyahu decided eventually not to run for the prime minister position, a move which facilitated the surprising rise to power of Ariel Sharon, who at the time was considered less popular than Netanyahu.

In 2002, after the Israeli Labor Party left the coalition and vacated the position of foreign minister, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Netanyahu as Foreign Minister.^{[citation needed]}

On 9 September 2002, a scheduled speech by Netanyahu at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada was canceled after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed security and smashed through a glass window. Netanyahu was not present at the protest, having remained at Montreal's Ritz-Carlton Hotel throughout the duration. He later accused the activists of supporting terrorism and "mad zealotry."^[24]

Netanyahu challenged Sharon for the leadership of the Likud party, but failed to oust Sharon.^[25]

Finance Minister: 2003–05[link]

Benjamin Netanyahu, 2003

After the 2003 Israeli legislative election, in what many observers regarded as a surprise move, Sharon offered the Foreign Ministry to Silvan Shalom and offered Netanyahu the Finance Ministry. Some pundits speculated that Sharon made the move because he deemed Netanyahu a political threat given his demonstrated effectiveness as Foreign Minister, and that by placing him in the Finance Ministry during a time of economic uncertainty, he could diminish Netanyahu's popularity. Netanyahu accepted the new appointment after Sharon agreed to provide him with an unprecedented level of independence in running the ministry.^{[citation needed]}

As Finance Minister, Netanyahu undertook an economic plan in order to restore Israel's economy from its low point during the al-Aqsa Intifada. The plan involved a move toward more liberalized markets, although it was not without its critics. Netanyahu succeeded in passing several long-unresolved reforms, including an important reform in the banking system.^[26] However, opponents in the Labor party (and even a few within his own Likud) viewed Netanyahu's policies as "Thatcherite" attacks on the venerated Israeli social safety net.^[27]

Netanyahu threatened to resign in 2004 unless the Gaza pullout plan was put to a referendum, but later lifted the ultimatum and voted for the programme in the Knesset.^[28] He submitted his resignation letter on 7 August 2005, shortly before the Israeli cabinet voted 17 to 5 to approve the initial phase of withdrawal from Gaza.^[29] Shortly thereafter he said he had rejected an invitation to serve as Italy's finance minister,^[30] allegedly extended to him by Italian billionaire businessman Carlo De Benedetti, who later said it was a joke.^[31]

Likud leader and opposition leader: 2005–09[link]

Following the withdrawal of Sharon from the Likud, Netanyahu was one of several candidates who vied for the Likud leadership. His most recent attempt prior to this was in September 2005 when he had tried to hold early primaries for the position of the head of the Likud party, while the party held the office of Prime Minister – thus effectively pushing Ariel Sharon out of office. The party rejected this initiative. Netanyahu retook the leadership on 20 December 2005, with 47% of the primary vote.^[2] In the March 2006 Knesset elections, Likud took the third place behind Kadima and Labor and Netanyahu served as Leader of the Opposition.^[3]

On 14 August 2007, Netanyahu was reelected as chairman of the Likud and its candidate for the post of Prime Minister with 73% of the vote, against far-right candidate Moshe Feiglin and World Likud Chairman Danny Danon.^[4] He opposed the 2008 Israel–Hamas ceasefire, like others in the Knesset opposition. Specifically, Netanyahu said, "This is not a relaxation, it's an Israeli agreement to the rearming of Hamas... What are we getting for this?"^[32]

Following Livni's election to head Kadima and Olmert's resignation from the post of Prime Minister, Netanyahu declined to join the coalition Livni was trying to form and supported new elections, which were held in February 2009.^[33][34]

Netanyahu campaign posters around Jerusalem. The caption reads HaLikud or The Consolidation. On the right-hand side slogans are written in Russian for immigrants from former USSR.

Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for Prime Minister in the 2009 Israeli legislative election which took place on 10 February 2009, as Tzipi Livni, the previous Designated Acting Prime Minister under the Olmert government, had been unable to form a viable governing coalition. Opinion polls showed Likud in the lead, but with as many as a third of Israeli voters undecided.^[35]

In the election itself, Likud won the second highest number of seats, Livni's party having outnumbered the Likud by one seat. A possible explanation for Likud's relatively poor showing is that some Likud supporters defected to Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party. Netanyahu, however, claimed victory on the basis that right wing parties won the majority of the vote, and on 20 February 2009, Netanyahu was designated by Israeli President Shimon Peres to succeed Ehud Olmert as Prime Minister, and began his negotiations to form a coalition government.

Despite right wing parties winning a majority of 65 seats in the Knesset, Netanyahu preferred a broader centrist coalition and turned to his Kadima rivals, chaired by Tzipi Livni, to join his government. This time it was Livni's turn to decline to join, with a difference of opinion on how to pursue the peace process being the stumbling block. Netanyahu did manage to entice a smaller rival, the Labour party, chaired by Ehud Barak, to join his government, giving him a certain amount of centrist tone.

Netayahu presented his cabinet for a Knesset "Vote of Confidence" on 31 March 2009. The 32nd Government was approved that day by a majority of 69 lawmakers to 45 (with five abstaining) and the members were sworn in.^[6][7]

Second Prime Ministership: 2009–present[link]

This section may be too long and excessively detailed. Please consider summarizing the material while citing sources as needed.

Barack Obama and Netanyahu in the Oval Office, 18 May 2009

In March 2009 US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Israel.^[36] She warned that Israeli settlements and demolition of Arab homes in East Jerusalem were "unhelpful" to the peace process.^[37] Clinton also voiced support for the establishment of a Palestinian state—a solution not endorsed by Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu,^[38] with whom she had earlier pledged the United States' cooperation.^[39] Upon the arrival of President Obama administration's special envoy, George Mitchell, Netanyahu said that any furtherance of negotiations with the Palestinians will be conditioned on the Palestinians recognizing Israel as a Jewish state,^[40] as this issue had not been sufficiently clarified.

During a 19 May 2009 meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House, Obama said a two state solution was a priority and called for settlement growth to be frozen, while Netanyahu refused to support the creation of a Palestinian state and stated that Israel has the right to continue settlements.

Netanyahu with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia

During President Obama's Cairo speech on 4 June 2009 in which Obama addressed the Muslim world, Obama stated, among other things, that "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements". "This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop." Following Obama's Cairo speech Netanyahu immediately called a special government meeting. On 14 June, ten days after Obama's Cairo speech, Netanyahu gave a speech at Bar-Ilan University in which he endorsed a "Demilitarized Palestinian State", though said that Jerusalem must remain the unified capital of Israel.^[41] The speech was widely seen as a response to Obama's speech.^[42] In a rejoinder to Obama's mentioning of the founding of Israel in the context of the Holocaust, Netanyahu remarked, "[t]here are those who say that if the Holocaust had not occurred, the State of Israel would never have been established. But I say that if the State of Israel would have been established earlier, the Holocaust would not have occurred."^[43] Netanyahu stated that he would accept a Palestinian state if Jerusalem were to remain the united capital of Israel, the Palestinians would have no army, and the Palestinians would give up their demand for a right of return. He also argued the right for a "natural growth" in the existing Jewish settlements in the West Bank while their permanent status is up to further negotiation. The address represented a renewal in Netanyahu's willingness to appeal for Palestinian leadership to accept peace.^{[44][better source needed]} The overture was quickly rejected by Palestinian leaders such as Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, who called the speech "racist".^[42]

Three months after starting his term, Netanyahu remarked that his cabinet already had achieved several notable successes, such as the establishment of a working national unity government, and a broad consensus for a "Two-state solution".^[45] The Kadima-led opposition submitted a no-confidence measure to the Knesset shortly after Netanyahu concluded his first 100 days in office.^[46] A July 2009 survey by Ha'aretz found that most Israelis support the Netanyahu government, giving him a personal approval rating of about 49 percent,^[47] a spike from 28 percent prior to his Bar-Ilan speech.

As part of his "economic peace", to boost the Palestinian economy, while insisting not a substitute to political negotiations, Netanyahu has lifted checkpoints in the West Bank, in order to allow freedom of movement and a flow of imports as a "highway to peace", a step that resulted in an economic boost in the West Bank.^[48][49][50]

On 23 July 2009, Netanyahu welcomed the Arab Peace initiative (also known as the "Saudi Peace Initiative"), stating that "The Arab initiative provides a tailwind to the Peace Process", and also lauded a call by Bahrain's Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to normalize relations with Israel.^[51][52] On 31 July, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Saud El Faisal, at a press conference with U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rejected the U.S pressure on Arab states to make gestures toward normalizing ties with Israel as "confidence-building" measures, stating that "'step-by-step' diplomatic approach, have not and will not lead to peace", and that "temporary security arrangement as well, so-called 'confidence-building' measures will not lead to peace either." He added that a comprehensive approach is needed in order to tackle the core issues of the conflict, that include "The future of the Palestinian State, control over Jerusalem, the return of the refugees to their country, and water and security arrangements". He also argued that Israel was diverting attention "From the occupation that had began on 1967, and the establishment of a Palestinian State, towards secondary issues, such as flying methods (referring to one of the gestures) and academic arguments, and said that "It is time all the inhabitants of the Middle East will live a normal life".^[53]

On 10 August 2009, Netanyahu warned that "If Hezbollah will enter the (Lebanese) government as an official factor, let it be clear that the Lebanese government will be held responsible for any attack carried out from its territory. Once they [Hezbullah] are part of the government, the sovereign government of Lebanon is the one responsible. I hope we will not be forced to make such responses".^[54] However, he maintained his assessment that "There are no 'winds of war' brewing in the North" the next day.^[55]

On 23 August 2009, Netanyahu announced in his weekly cabinet meeting that negotiations with the Palestinians will begin in September and will be officially launched on his visit to New York, after he had accepted an invitation from President Barack Obama for a "Triple Summit" there.^[56] He added that there is progress with special envoy George Mitchell, though there is no full agreement on everything,^[57] and there will be more rounds of meetings [until September].^[58] On the same day, a spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas said he refused to participate in peace negotiations as long as there was any building going on in settlements.^[59]

On 26 August 2009, Netanyahu and special envoy George Mitchell met, in what was perceived as a critical meeting towards an understanding on a settlement freeze between Israel and the U.S, in which they reaffirmed in a joint statement the need for a meaningful negotiation between the Israelis and Palestinians that will lead to a comprehensive peace agreement, and Abbas declared the same day that he will be willing to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the U.N General Assembly, where Netanyahu had accepted president Obama's invitation for a "triple summit", although he said it would not necessarily lead to negotiations.^[60] Netanyahu was reported to be in a pivotal moment over these understandings, that were reported to include a compromise over permission on continuing the already approved construction in the West Bank, in exchange for freezing all settlements thereafter, as well as continuing building in East Jerusalem, and at the same time stopping the demolition of houses of Arab inhabitants there.^[61] It was also reported that the U.S Administration was planning a "modest" summit with a principle declaration and stiff timetable, rather than a "Grand Plan".^[61]

On 4 September 2009, it was reported that Netanyahu was to agree to settlers' political demands to approve more settlement constructions before a temporary settlement freeze agreement took place.^[62] White House spokesman Robert Gibbs expressed "regret" over the move;^[63] however, one U.S official said the move will not "derail [the] train".^[64]

On 7 September 2009, Netanyahu left his office without reporting where he was headed, his schedule was mysteriously cleared, and his whereabouts were unknown for a several hours. The prime minister's military secretary, Maj. Gen. Meir Kalifi, later reported Netanyahu had visited a security facility in Israel.^[65] At the same time, a Palestinian newspaper reported that Netanyahu had left for a visit in an Arab state that does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.^[66] On 9 September 2009, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli leader had made a secret flight to Moscow to try to persuade Russian officials not to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran.^[65][67][68] The report caused a local media storm, with angry journalists accusing Netanyahu’s office of lying. Headlines branded Netanyahu a "liar" and dubbed the affair a "fiasco."^[69][70] It was later reported that the PM's military secretary will be dismissed due to the affair.^[71] The Sunday Times reported that the trip was made to share the names of Russian scientists that Israel believes are abetting the Iranian nuclear weapons program.^[72]

On 16 September 2009, special envoy George Mitchell arrived in Israel for one of his last rounds before a triple summit at the U.N. between President Obama, Netanyahu and PA president Mahmoud Abbas, in order to secure such a summit. Despite shuttling between the Israelis and the Palestinians, he failed to secure such a summit.^[73] However, it was reported that he had expected his trip to be extended, that he would meet Prime Minister Netanyahu again two days later, and that there might be a three-way summit without relaunching the peace process, after which negotiations on understandings between Israel and the U.S would continue. On 18 September, Netanyahu and Mitchell met again, but failed to reach an agreement that will secure the summit. Later that day, Haaretz reported that Israeli officials blamed the Palestinian Authority for thwarting the peace talks.^[74]

On 20 September 2009, the White House announced that it will host a three-way meeting between President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu and PA President Mahmoud Abbas, within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, "in an effort to lay the groundwork for renewed negotiations on Mideast peace."^[75][76] The meeting took place on 22 September, in New York. Afterwards, Netanyahu said that he agreed with Abbas during the meeting that peace talks should be relaunched as soon as possible.^[77]

On 24 September 2009, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu said Iran poses a threat to the peace of the world and that it is incumbent on the world body to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.^[78][79] Waving the blueprints for Auschwitz and invoking the memory of his own family members murdered by the Nazis, Netanyahu delivered his most passionate and public riposte yet to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's questioning of the Holocaust, asking: "Have you no shame?"^[80]

In response to pressure from the Obama administration urging the sides to resume peace talks, on 25 November 2009 Netanyahu announced a partial 10 month settlement construction freeze plan. The announced partial freeze had no significant effect on actual settlement construction, according to an analysis by the major Israeli daily Haaretz.^[81] U.S special envoy George Mitchell said, "while the United States shares Arab concerns about the limitations of Israel's gesture, it is more than any Israeli government has ever done".^[82] In his announcement Netanyahu called the move "a painful step that will encourage the peace process" and urged the Palestinians to respond.^[83] However, the Palestinians rejected the call.^[84]

On 7 December 2009, a bill with Netanyahu's backing^[85] obligating a national referendum on any withdrawals from land passed 68–22 in the Knesset.^[86] Opponents of the bill claim it would be another obstacle to peace, by tying a Prime Minister's hand in any future peace accord.^[87] Source in Syrian foreign ministry says Israel 'provoking... international community' with referendum bill.^[88]

On 10 March 2010, Israel's government approved construction of an additional 1,600 apartments in a large Jewish housing development in northeastern Jerusalem called Ramat Shlomo^[89] despite the position of the current U.S. Government that acts such as this thwart the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The Israeli government's announcement occurred during a visit by U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden and the U.S. government subsequently issued a strongly worded condemnation of the plan.^[90] The European Union also condemned the announcement and issued a statement calling on the Israeli government to reverse the decision.^[91] Netanyahu subsequently issued a statement that all previous Israeli governments had continuously permitted construction in the neighborhood, and that certain neighborhoods such as Ramat Shlomo and Gilo have always been included as part of Israel in any final agreement plan that has been proposed by either side to date.^[89] Netanyahu regretted the timing of the announcement but asserted that "our policy on Jerusalem is the same policy followed by all Israeli governments for the 42 years, and it has not changed. As far as we are concerned, building in Jerusalem is the same as building in Tel Aviv."^[92]

Netanyahu, together with Mahmoud Abbas, Hillary Clinton and George J. Mitchell at the start of the direct talks on 2 September 2010.

In September 2010, Netanyahu agreed to enter direct talks, mediated by the Obama administration, with the Palestinians for the first time in a long while.^[93] The ultimate aim of these direct talks is to forge the framework of an official "final status settlement" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by forming a two-state solution for the Jewish people and the Palestinian people. Nevertheless, the Israeli government publicly stated that a lasting peace wouldn't take effect immediately due to Hamas and Hezbollah presence threatening the progress. In addition the Israeli government clearly rejected any possible agreement with the Palestinian side as long as that side refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.^{[citation needed]}

On 27 September, the 10 month settlement freeze ended, and the Israeli government approved new construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.^[94]

In January 2011, Labor Party leader Ehud Barak formed a breakaway party, Independence, which enabled Barak to maintain his loyal Labor MK faction within the Netanyahu coalition government, and prevented the departure of Labor as a whole from the government. Labor previously threatened to force Barak to do so. After Barak's move, Netanyahu was able to maintain a majority of 66 MKs (out 120 in the Knesset), previously having 74 MKs within his majority coalition.^{[citation needed]}

In March and April 2011 the Israeli media published a series of articles claiming that interest groups had paid for foreign trips of Netanyahu and his wife.^[95] In response, Netanyahu filed two libel suits on a total of one million NIS each against the newspaper Ma'ariv and several of its employees,^[96] and against the news division of Israeli channel 10 Hadashot 10, against the Israeli web portal Nana 10 and several employees.^[97] Later on, the couple filed another libel suit in the amount of 3.5 million NIS against the Israeli channel 10, Nana 10, Hadashot 10 and the Israeli journalists Raviv Drucker and Mickey Rosenthal.^[98][99]

In 2011, it was revealed that, on retiring from office in July of that year, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had said that Netanyahu was ungrateful to the United States and endangering Israel. Responding, the Likud party defended Netanyahu by saying that most Israelis supported the prime minister and that he had broad support in the United States.^[100][101] The depth of this support was demonstrated during his 2012 reelection campaign when half of his donations came from the Falics family in the United States.^[102]

In 2012, Netanyahu initially planned to call early elections, but subsequently oversaw the creation of a controversial government of national unity that will see Israel through till the national elections of 2013.^[103] In May 2012, in a letter to Mahmoud Abbas, Netanyahu officially recognised for the first time the right for Palestinians to have their own state, though as before^[41] he declared it would have to be demilitarised,^[104] and said his new unity government furnished an opportunity to renew negotiations and move forward.^[105]

Political positions[link]

Oslo Accords[link]

From the inception of the Oslo accords, Netanyahu opposed them. During his term as prime minister in the late 1990s, Netanyahu consistently reneged on commitments made by previous Israeli governments as part of the Oslo peace process, leading American peace envoy Dennis Ross to note that “neither President Clinton nor Secretary [of State Madeleine] Albright believed that Bibi had any real interest in pursuing peace.”^[106]

In a 2001 video, Netanyahu, reportedly unaware he was being recorded, said: "They asked me before the election if I'd honor [the Oslo Accords]," "I said I would, but ... I'm going to interpret the accords in such a way that would allow me to put an end to this galloping forward to the '67 borders. How did we do it? Nobody said what defined military zones were. Defined military zones are security zones; as far as I'm concerned, the entire Jordan Valley is a defined military zone. Go argue."^[107]

One of Netanyahu's campaign posters during the 2009 Israeli legislative elections which stated that he would be the best choice for Israel's economy and security.

Prior to second term as Prime Minister[link]

Netanyahu had previously called U.S.-backed peace talks a waste of time,^[108] while at the same time refusing to commit to the same two-state solution as had other Israeli leaders,^[109] until a speech in June 2009. He repeatedly made public statements which advocated an "economic peace" approach, meaning an approach based on economic cooperation and joint effort rather than continuous contention over political and diplomatic issues. This is in line with many significant ideas from the Peace Valley plan.^[110] He raised these ideas during discussions with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.^[111] Netanyahu continued to advocate these ideas as the Israeli elections approached.^[112] Netanyahu has said:

Right now, the peace talks are based on only one thing, only on peace talks. It makes no sense at this point to talk about the most contractible issue. It's Jerusalem or bust, or right of return or bust. That has led to failure and is likely to lead to failure again....We must weave an economic peace alongside a political process. That means that we have to strengthen the moderate parts of the Palestinian economy by handing rapid growth in those areas, rapid economic growth that gives a stake for peace for the ordinary Palestinians."^[110]

In January 2009, prior to the February 2009 Israeli elections Netanyahu informed Middle East envoy Tony Blair that he would continue the policy of the Israeli governments of Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert by expanding settlements in the West Bank, in contravention of the Road Map, but not building new ones.^[113]

June 2009 peace address; "Bar-Ilan Speech"[link]

On 14 June 2009, Netanyahu delivered a seminal address^[114] at Bar-Ilan University (also known as "Bar-Ilan Speech"), at Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, that was broadcast live in Israel and across parts of the Arab world, on the topic of the Middle East peace process. He endorsed for the first time the notion of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.^[43] Netanyahu's speech could be viewed in part as a response to Obama's 4 June speech at Cairo. Yedioth Ahronoth claimed that Obama's words had "resonated through Jerusalem's corridors".^[115]

As part of his proposal, Netanyahu demanded the full demilitarization of the proposed state, with no army, rockets, missiles, or control of its airspace, and said that Jerusalem would be undivided Israeli territory. He stated that the Palestinians should recognize Israel as the Jewish national state with an undivided Jerusalem. He rejected a right of return for Palestinian refugees, saying, "any demand for resettling Palestinian refugees within Israel undermines Israel's continued existence as the state of the Jewish people." He also stated that a complete stop to settlement building in the West Bank, as required by the 2003 Road Map peace proposal, was not possible and the expansions will be limited based on the "natural growth" of the population, including immigration, with no new territories taken in. Nevertheless, Netanyahu affirmed that he accepted the Road Map proposal.^[116] He did not discuss whether or not the settlements should be part of Israel after peace negotiations, simply saying that the "question will be discussed".^[43]

In a response to U.S. President Barack Obama's statements in his Cairo speech, Netanyahu remarked, "there are those who say that if the Holocaust had not occurred, the State of Israel would never have been established. But I say that if the State of Israel would have been established earlier, the Holocaust would not have occurred." He also said, "this is the homeland of the Jewish people, this is where our identity was forged." He stated that he would be willing to meet with any "Arab leader" for negotiations without preconditions, specifically mentioning Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon.^[43] In general, the address represented a new position for Netanyahu's government on the peace process.^[44]

Some right-wing members of Netanyahu's governing coalition criticized his remarks for the creation of a Palestinian State; believing that all of the land should remain under Israeli sovereignty. Likud MK Danny Danon said that Netanyahu went "against the Likud platform",^[117] while MK Uri Orbakh of Habayit Hayehudi said that it had "dangerous implications".^[118] Opposition party Kadima leader Tzipi Livni remarked after the address that she thinks Netanyahu does not really believe in the two-state solution at all; she thought that he only said what he did as a feigned response to international pressure.^[46] Peace Now blasted the speech, highlighting the fact that, in the group's opinion, it did not address the Palestinians as equal partners in the peace process. The Secretary General of Peace Now, Yariv Oppenheimer, said, "It's a rerun of Netanyahu from his first term".^[119]

On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of government meeting Netanyahu repeated his claims from the Palestinians: "We want an agreement with two factors, the first of which is the recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and (the second of which is) a security settlement".^[120]

International reaction[link]

Netanyahu's "Bar-Ilan Speech" provoked mixed reaction from the International community:^[121]

•  Palestinian Authority – The Palestinian National Authority rejected the conditions to a Palestinian State given by Netanyahu. Senior official Saeb Erekat said, "Netanyahu's speech closed the door to permanent status negotiations". Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said it reflected a "racist and extremist ideology"^[122] and called on Arab nations to "form stronger opposition".^[44] Palestinian Islamic Jihad labeled it "misleading" and, like Hamas, demanded stronger opposition to Israel from Arab nations.^[123] According to The Jerusalem Post, some leaders advocated a third intifada in response to the speech.^[43]

•  Arab League – The Arab League dismissed the address, declaring in a statement that "Arabs would not make concessions regarding issues of Jerusalem and refugees" and that "we know his history and style of evasion", adding that the Arab League would not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.^[123]

•  Czech Republic – The Czech Republic, which held the presidency of the European Union, praised Netanyahu's address. "In my view, this is a step in the right direction. The acceptance of a Palestinian state was present there," said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country held the EU's six-month presidency at the time of the speech.^[124]

•  United States – The Press secretary of President Barack Obama, Robert Gibbs, said that the speech was an "important step forward".^[123][125] President Obama stated that "this solution can and must ensure both Israel's security and the Palestinians' legitimate aspirations for a viable state".^[121]

•  Sweden – Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt stated that "the fact that he uttered the word state is a small step forward". He added that "whether what he mentioned can be defined as a state is a subject of some debate".^[121][124]

•  France – France praised the speech but called on Israel to cease building settlements in the West Bank. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stated that "I can only welcome the prospect of a Palestinian state outlined by the Israeli Prime Minister".^[121][124]

•  Russia – The Foreign Ministry of Russia called the speech "a sign of readiness for dialogue" but said that "it does not open up the road to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian problem. The conditions on the Palestinians would be unacceptable".^[121]

•  Egypt – Referring to Netanyahu's demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, Egypt's then President Hosni Mubarak remarked, "You won't find anyone to answer that call in Egypt, or in any other place". Issuing a less blunt response, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that the speech was "not complete" and that it hoped for another, "different Israeli proposal which is built on the commitment to the two-state solution".^[126][127]

•  Syria – Syrian state media condemned the speech and wrote that "Netanyahu has confirmed that he rejects the Arab peace initiative for peace along with all the initiatives and resolutions of the Security Council to relative peace".^[121][128]

•  Lebanon – Lebanese President Michel Suleiman called for unity among Arab leaders, saying that "Arab leaders should be more united and preserve the spirit of resistance to face the Israeli stands regarding the peace process and the Palestinian refugee issue." He called on the international community to exert more pressure on the Israeli government to accept the Arab Peace Initiative, as he said Israel still has a will of military confrontation which can be proved in its offensives on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.^[123]

•  Jordan – Jordanian Minister of State for Media affairs and Communications, and Government spokesperson Nabil Sharif issued a statement saying "The ideas presented by Netanyahu do not live up to what was agreed on by the international community as a starting point for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region".^[123]

•  Iran – Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad referred to the speech as "bad news".^[121]

Opinion on unilateral withdrawals[link]

On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu promised not to repeat the "mistake" of the Gaza unilateral pullout, saying, "We will not repeat this mistake. We will not create new evacuees", and adding that "the unilateral evacuation brought neither peace nor security. On the contrary", and that "We want an agreement with two factors, the first of which is the recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and [the second is] a security settlement. In the case of Gaza, both of these factors were lacking". He also said, "Should we achieve a turn toward peace with the more moderate partners, we will insist on the recognition of the State of Israel and the demilitarization of the future Palestinian state".^[120][129]

Iran[link]

On 20 February 2009, after being asked to be the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu described Iran as the greatest threat that Israel has ever faced: "Iran is seeking to obtain a nuclear weapon and constitutes the gravest threat to our existence since the war of independence."^[130]

Speaking before the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September 2009, Netanyahu expressed a different opinion than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the forum, saying those who believe Tehran is a threat only to Israel are wrong. "The Iranian regime", he said, "is motivated by fanaticism… They want to see us go back to medieval times. The struggle against Iran pits civilization against barbarism. This Iranian regime is fueled by extreme fundamentalism."^[78][79]

"By focusing solely on Iran," columnist Yossi Melman speculated that Netanyahu's foreign policy, "...took the Palestinian issue off the world agenda." After four days of shelling from the Iranian-funded Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Melman asked, "Is it worth initiating a crisis with Iran? Will the Israeli public be able to cope with Iran’s response?"^[131]

Netanyahu is reported to have formed a close, confidential relationship with Defense Minister Ehud Barak as the two men consider possible Israeli military action against Iran's nuclear facilities.^[132][133] The pair were accused of acting on "messianic" impulses by Yuval Diskin, former head of the Shin Bet, who added that their warmongering rhetoric appealed to "the idiots within the Israeli public".^[134] Diskin's remarks were supported by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan,^[135] who himself had previously said that an attack on Iran was "the stupidest thing I have ever heard".^[136] A few weeks later, the RAND Corporation (a leading American think tank that advises the Pentagon) also openly disagreed with Netanyahu's belligerent stance: "In doing so, and without naming names, RAND sided with former Mossad chief Meir Dagan and former head of the Shin Bet Yuval Diskin."^[137]

In an 8 March 2007 interview with CNN, Netanyahu asserted that there is only one difference between Nazi Germany and the Islamic Republic of Iran, namely that the first entered a worldwide conflict and then sought atomic weapons, while the latter is first seeking atomic weapons and, once it has them, will then start a world war. Netanyahu repeated these remarks at a news conference in April 2008.^[138][139] This was similar to earlier remarks that "...it's 1938, and Iran is Germany, and Iran is racing to arm itself with atomic bombs".^[140]

In 2012, he used the opening ceremony for Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day to warn against the dangers of an Iranian nuclear bomb, and claimed to be following the example of Jewish leaders during WWII who struggled to raise the alarm about the Nazis' genocidal intentions.^[141] Israeli academic Avner Cohen accused Netanyahu of showing "contempt" for the Holocaust by putting it to "political use",^[142] and former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami similarly condemned Netanyahu's "vulgar manipulation of the memory of the Holocaust".^[143]

Jonathan Pollard[link]

Netanyahu has repeatedly called for the release of Jonathan Pollard, an American serving a life sentence for passing secret U.S. documents to Israel.^[144] Netanyahu has called for his release over the course of several presidential administrations.^[144][145] He raised the issue at the Wye River Summit in 1998, where he claimed that U.S. President Bill Clinton had privately agreed to release Pollard; Clinton denied the assertion.^[146][147]

In 2002, Netanyahu visited Pollard at his North Carolina prison.^[148][149] The Israeli Prime Minister maintains contact with Pollard's wife, and has been active in pressing the Obama administration to release Pollard.^[150][151] Netanyahu has characterized Pollard as "a warmhearted Jew, proud and a real Zionist."^[151]

Defense and security[link]

The Israeli General Staff concluded that the armed forces cannot maintain their battle readiness under Netanyahu's proposed cuts.^[152] However Netanyahu decided to cut social programs instead, and promised to increase the defense budget by about six percent.^[153][154] In spite of this, the Israeli military still fell NIS 3.7 million short from its projected budget, which could damage their war capabilities.^[155]

Netanyahu arranged for 1000 prisoners to be swapped for Gilad Shalit, including terrorists with "blood on their hands."^[156] About 60% of the released terrorists were expected to return to terrorism.^[157]

According to a U.S. State Department representative in November 2011, under the leadership of Netanyahu and Obama, Israel and the United States have enjoyed unprecedented security cooperation.^[158]

Personal relations with foreign leaders[link]

During the 2011 G-20 Cannes summit, French president Nicholas Sarkozy was overheard saying to U.S. president Barack Obama, "I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar". To this Obama reportedly responded, "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day." Journalists covering the event were requested to sign an agreement not to report the incident.^[159][160] Apart from his relationship with the Obama admistration, Netanyahu has close ties with the U.S. Republican Party and its leadership in the House of Representatives.^[161]

Sarkozy and Netanyahu originally became acquainted when Sarkozy was the mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, after an introduction by a mutual friend. The two used to dine together in Paris and Israel.^[162]

Family and personal life[link]

Related to the Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna (the Vilna Gaon) on his paternal side,^[163] Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv,^[164] to Benzion Netanyahu (original name Mileikowsky) and Cela (Tsilah; née Segal). His mother was born in 1912 in Petah Tikva, part of the future British Mandate of Palestine that eventually became Israel. Though all his grandparents were born in the Russian Empire (now Belarus, Lithuania and Poland), his mother's parents emigrated to Minneapolis in the United States.^[165]

Netanyahu's father, Benzion, is a former professor of Jewish history at Cornell University,^[166] a former editor of the Encyclopaedia Hebraica, and a former senior aide to Ze'ev Jabotinsky, who has remained active in research and writing into his 90s. Regarding the Palestinian people, he has stated: "That they won't be able to face [anymore] the war with us, which will include withholding food from Arab cities, preventing education, terminating electrical power and more. They won't be able to exist, and they will run away from here. But it all depends on the war, and whether we will win the battles with them."^[167] Netanyahu has dismissed those who note similarities between his relentlessly hawkish views and those of his late father as "psychobabble". For example, David Remnick has written: "To understand Bibi, you have to understand the father."^[168]

Netanyahu's paternal grandfather was Rabbi Natan Mileikowsky, a leading Religious Zionist rabbi and JNF fundraiser.^[169] Netanyahu's older brother, Yonatan, was killed in Uganda during Operation Entebbe in 1976. His younger brother, Iddo, is a radiologist and writer. All three brothers served in the Sayeret Matkal reconnaissance unit of the Israel Defense Forces.

Netanyahu's first marriage was to Miriam Weizmann, whom he met in Boston. The couple had one daughter, Noa. The marriage ended in 1978. In 1981, he married Fleur Cates, a British citizen whom he met while they were both living in Boston, but the couple divorced in 1984. In 1991 Netanyahu married his third wife, Sara Ben-Artzi, a psychology major working as a flight attendant, whom he met while traveling on an El Al flight from New York to Israel. He and Sara have two sons, Yair and Avner.^[23] Yair is a Corporal in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.^[170] Avner is a national Bible champion and winner of the prestigious National Bible Quiz for Youth in Kiryat Shmona.^[171] Sara has been the defendant of numerous lawsuits filed by former housekeepers, alleging abuse and underpayment.^[172]

In the first half of 2008, doctors removed a small colon polyp that proved to be benign.^[173]

Netanyahu became a grandfather on 1 October 2009, when his daughter Noa Netanyahu-Roth (married to Daniel Roth) gave birth to a boy, Shmuel.^[174][175] In 2011, Noa and her husband Daniel had a second son named David.^[176]

Books and articles[link]

Books:
Through the years Netanyahu authored five books, three of which focus on counter-terrorism. The books he authored include:

• International Terrorism: Challenge and Response (The Jonathon Institute, 1980) (ISBN 0-87855-894-2)
• Terrorism: How the West Can Win (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1986) (ISBN 0-380-70321-1)
• A Place Among the Nations (Bantam, 1993) (ISBN 0-553-08974-9)
• Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism (Diane Pub Co, 1995) (ISBN 0-374-52497-1)
• A Durable Peace: Israel and Its Place Among the Nations (Warner Books, 2000) (ISBN 0-446-52306-2)

Articles:

• "On Terrorism"

References[link]