A year ago, in October 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was grappling with his country’s most serious security failures and facing backlash at home and abroad. After decades of promoting a tough image, Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared to be exposed politically after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. A year later, on October 18, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s hold on power appeared stronger than when he announced the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
The killing of Shinwar, who orchestrated the October 7 attack, is seen as vindication for Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
Career and political career
Born in Tel Aviv on October 21, 1949, Benjamin Netanyahu’s mother, Tzira Segal, was an Israeli-born Jew, and his father, Benzion Netanyahu, was from Poland and changed his name from Benzion Mileikovsky when he settled in Jerusalem. did.
Benjamin Netanyahu grew up in Jerusalem and attended high school in the United States. His father was a historian. In 1963, his family moved to Philadelphia, USA, where he spent his formative years.
Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel at the age of 18 and served for five years as a captain in the elite Sayeret Matkal Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
After his military service, Prime Minister Netanyahu pursued higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned an MBA in 1976. His studies were temporarily interrupted by the Yom Kippur War, during which he served as a soldier in 1973. After losing his younger brother Jonathan in the 1976 Entebbe attack, he decided to establish the Jonathan Institute to address terrorism-related issues through international conferences.
Fluent in English with a pronounced American accent, he quickly became a prominent spokesperson for Israel, appearing frequently on U.S. television as a strong defender of the homeland. In 1982, he became deputy head of the Israeli mission in Washington. Two years later, he was appointed Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career began in 1988 when he was elected to the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) as a member of the Likud party. He rose rapidly through the ranks, serving as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1988 to 1991, and later as Deputy Minister. He became leader of the Likud Party in 1993 and gained fame for his staunch opposition to the Israeli-PLO peace agreement and subsequent Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s first term
At 47 years old, Benjamin Netanyahu became Israel’s youngest prime minister after his 1996 election. His tenure began amid turmoil, with tense relations with Syria and backlash from his decision to open a tunnel near the al-Aqsa mosque, sparking violent clashes.
Despite staunch opposition to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made notable concessions during his first term as prime minister. He signed an agreement to transfer 80% of Hebron to Palestinian Authority control and authorized further withdrawals from the occupied West Bank, a move that drew fierce criticism from his right-wing base. .
In 1999, Prime Minister Netanyahu was defeated by Labor leader Ehud Barak after holding early elections 17 months ahead of schedule.
Even after this defeat, Prime Minister Netanyahu remained a prominent figure in Likud, but lost his seat in the party’s leadership to Ariel Sharon. He then served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance in the Sharon government.
return to power
In the February 2009 elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party won 27 seats in the Knesset, narrowly beating Kadima’s 28 seats. Prime Minister Netanyahu formed a coalition government with Yisrael Beiteinu, Shas, and other small parties, and was officially inaugurated on March 31, 2009.
During his term, Prime Minister Netanyahu offered conditional support for a Palestinian state, insisting on its demilitarization and recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, conditions rejected by Palestinian leaders. Peace negotiations stalled in 2010 when Israel ended a moratorium on West Bank settlements.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s foreign policy has been defined by a tough stance on Iran, consistently advocating for international action against Iran’s nuclear program.
Domestically, growing economic dissatisfaction led to large-scale protests in 2011, with citizens demanding improved public services. His coalition also suffered from tensions over draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews, leading to early elections in 2012.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power with a centrist coalition after elections and then led a military operation in Gaza following a rocket attack in 2014. Despite international criticism over civilian casualties, he claimed the operation had weakened the militants’ capabilities.
By the end of 2014, conflicts within the coalition over the budget and legislation led to the dismissal of key ministers and elections in 2015. Relations with then-U.S. President Barack Obama became increasingly tense, particularly over Iran, culminating in Netanyahu’s controversial speech to the U.S. Congress. At the beginning of 2015.
Although the March 2015 elections were expected to be close, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party won.
Corruption allegations and coalition government crisis
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted on charges of fraud, breach of trust and corruption following a long-running investigation. Indicted in 2019, he was accused of accepting lavish gifts from fellow billionaires and offering regulatory favors to media moguls in exchange for favorable coverage. Prime Minister Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and refused to resign following the indictment, branding the investigation a politically motivated witch hunt orchestrated by law enforcement, the media and the courts.
The corruption allegations have become a rallying point for the opposition, uniting politicians across Israel’s political spectrum. This growing opposition ultimately led to his ouster after elections in March 2021, ending Netanyahu’s term as prime minister-elect.
2022 Election Return and Controversy
In early 2022, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial faced a setback when reports surfaced that police had used Pegasus spyware to hack the cellphones of key witnesses. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s defense lawyers further called into question the allegations by citing an error in the date of the meeting listed in the indictment.
As opposition leader, Prime Minister Netanyahu actively targeted the ruling coalition. The November 2022 election saw a record turnout and returned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to power through a coalition government that included controversial far-right ministers.
israel-hamas war
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel from land, sea, and air. In response, Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. A ground invasion soon followed, intensifying the Israeli-Hamas war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under intense criticism for his handling of the crisis, with blame both for a lack of preparation in the run-up to October 7 and for his management of hostages and displaced persons. Opinion polls show support for Prime Minister Netanyahu is declining.
Internationally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saw the deteriorating situation in Gaza as a shift from initial sympathy to isolation. By March 2024, it faced a rift with US President Joe Biden over plans to attack Rafah, an area with a large concentration of civilians.
By late May, protests intensified in Tel Aviv, increasing domestic unrest. On May 20, 2024, the International Criminal Court announced plans to seek arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Hamas leaders on suspicion of war crimes.
The decision drew criticism, but public support for Prime Minister Netanyahu rose slightly.
In July 2024, Prime Minister Netanyahu said a ceasefire was necessary to allow Israel to maintain control of the Philadelphia Corridor between Gaza and Egypt, and deemed it critical to cutting off Hamas supplies. he claimed. This became a deadlock point in negotiations.
By the end of August, the bodies of six hostages had been discovered, sparking public anger and mass protests. Demonstrators demanded that Netanyahu’s government prioritize the release of the remaining hostages. Despite mounting pressure, Netanyahu maintained control of the Philadelphia Corridor.
Israel is also at war with Hamas’ ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. The two countries have been exchanging rocket fire since the October 7 attack. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government decided to send ground troops to Lebanon in September.
The situation in the Middle East remains extremely tense, and the world is watching Prime Minister Benjamin Neyanyahu’s next steps.
The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Shinwar, who masterminded the October 7 attack, has greatly boosted Benjamin Netanyahu’s image within Israel, but could increase tensions in the Middle East.
