Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu (born October 21, 1949) is an Israeli politician and diplomat who has served as Prime Minister of Israel in two separate periods: from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, making him Israel's longest-serving prime minister in terms of total time in office. Born in Tel Aviv to a prominent intellectual family, Netanyahu served in the Israeli Defense Forces as a commando before entering politics. As prime minister, he implemented right-wing policies while maintaining a pragmatic approach to foreign relations, particularly with the United States and Arab nations. His first tenure saw the Wye River Memorandum with the Palestinian Authority, while his second extended period focused on security concerns, settlement expansion, and normalization agreements with several Arab states known as the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu's speeches to international forums, including the U.S. Congress, reflected his prominence in global politics. His premierships were marked by both economic growth and controversies regarding Palestinian territories and judicial independence. Netanyahu remains an influential political figure in Israel and continues to shape national policy discussions.