Benjamin Netanyahu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benjamin Netanyahu
|
|
|---|---|
|
בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ
|
|
Official portrait, 2023
|
|
| 9th Prime Minister of Israel | |
| Assumed office 29 December 2022 |
|
| President | Isaac Herzog |
| Deputy | Yariv Levin |
| Preceded by | Yair Lapid |
| In office 31 March 2009 – 13 June 2021 |
|
| President | |
| Alternate | Benny Gantz (2020–2021) |
| Preceded by | Ehud Olmert |
| Succeeded by | Naftali Bennett |
| 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 June 2021 – 29 December 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Yair Lapid |
| Succeeded by | Yair Lapid |
| In office 16 January 2006 – 31 March 2009 |
|
| Prime Minister | Ehud Olmert |
| Preceded by | Amir Peretz |
| Succeeded by | Tzipi Livni |
| In office 3 February 1993 – 18 June 1996 |
|
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Yitzhak Shamir |
| Succeeded by | Shimon Peres |
| Chairman of Likud | |
| Assumed office 20 December 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Ariel Sharon |
| In office 3 February 1993 – 6 July 1999 |
|
| Preceded by | Yitzhak Shamir |
| Succeeded by | Ariel Sharon |
| 7th Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations | |
| In office 1 September 1984 – 1 March 1988 |
|
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Yehuda Blum |
| Succeeded by | Yohanan Bein |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 1996–1997 | Science and Technology |
| 1996–1999 | Housing and Construction |
| 2002–2003 | Foreign Affairs |
| 2003–2005 | Finance |
| 2009–2013 |
|
| 2012–2013 | Foreign Affairs |
| 2013 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 October 1949 Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Political party | Likud (since 1988) |
| Other political affiliations |
Herut (until 1988) |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 (including Yair and Avner) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives |
|
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
|
| Cabinet |
|
| Awards | Jabotinsky Medal (1980) |
| Signature | |
| Nickname | Bibi |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1967–1973 |
| Rank | Séren (Captain) |
| Unit | Sayeret Matkal |
| Battles/wars |
|
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician. He has served as the prime minister of Israel multiple times. He was prime minister from 1996 to 1999, then from 2009 to 2021, and again since 2022. He leads the Likud political party. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, having served for over 16 years in total. He is also the first prime minister to be born in Israel after the country was created.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Benjamin Netanyahu was born in 1949 in Tel Aviv, Israel. His mother, Tzila Segal, was born in what was then the Ottoman Empire. His father, Benzion Netanyahu, was a historian from Warsaw.
Benjamin was the second of three children. He grew up and went to school in Jerusalem. His family also lived in the United States, near Philadelphia, for several years while his father taught at a college. During his time in the US, Benjamin went to Cheltenham High School. He was active in the debate club, chess club, and played soccer.
After finishing high school in 1967, Netanyahu returned to Israel. He joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He served for five years in a special forces unit called Sayeret Matkal. This unit is known for its challenging missions. He took part in several cross-border raids during the War of Attrition (1967–1970). He became a team leader and was injured in combat a few times. He left active service in 1972 but remained in the reserves. He returned to Israel in October 1973 to fight in the Yom Kippur War.
Education and Studies
Netanyahu went back to the United States in 1972 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He earned a bachelor's degree in architecture in 1975. He also got a master's degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1976.
While at MIT, he studied very hard, taking many courses. He even took classes at Harvard University at the same time. He finished his master's degree in two and a half years, which usually takes four years. This was impressive, especially since he took a break to fight in the Yom Kippur War.
During this time, he used the name Benjamin "Ben" Nitai to make it easier for Americans to say his name. He graduated near the top of his class at MIT.
Political Career and Leadership
_-_P.M._Netanyahu_Visiting_the_Western_Wall.jpg)
After college, Netanyahu worked as an economic consultant in Boston from 1976 to 1978. He then returned to Israel. From 1978 to 1980, he led the Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute. This group studied terrorism and held international meetings about it. He also worked as a marketing director.
In 1982, he became the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. He served in this role until 1984. From 1984 to 1988, Netanyahu was Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. This means he represented Israel at the UN.
Netanyahu became well-known when he was elected chairman of the Likud party in 1993. This made him the Leader of the Opposition. In the 1996 election, he won against Shimon Peres. He became the first Israeli prime minister chosen directly by popular vote. He was also the youngest prime minister ever at that time.
In 1999, Netanyahu and his party lost the election. He decided to leave politics for a while and worked in the private sector. Later, he returned to politics. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. As Finance Minister, he made changes to Israel's economy that helped it grow. He later resigned due to disagreements about a plan to withdraw from Gaza.
Netanyahu became the leader of Likud again in 2005. He was the Leader of the Opposition from 2006 to 2009. After the 2009 election, he became prime minister for a second time. He formed a coalition government with other parties. He led Likud to win elections again in 2013 and 2015.
There was a period of political difficulty in Israel between 2019 and 2020. Several elections did not result in a clear government. This was resolved when Netanyahu agreed to share power with Benny Gantz in a rotation agreement. However, this government later collapsed. A new election was held in March 2021.
During his time as prime minister, Netanyahu led Israel's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2021, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid formed a new government. Netanyahu then became the opposition leader again. He returned as Prime Minister after the 2022 election.
On 7 October 2023, after attacks from Gaza, Netanyahu announced that Israel was in a state of war against Hamas.
.jpg)
In November 2023, he said Israel would not agree to a ceasefire in the war. He stated Israel would "stand firm against the world if necessary."
On 24 July 2024, Netanyahu spoke to the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. He asked for their continued support during the conflict.
After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Netanyahu ordered an invasion of Syria against the Syrian opposition.
Netanyahu has faced international criticism for his policy of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. These settlements are considered illegal under international law.
Key Political Views
Economic Ideas
Netanyahu is known for supporting a "free-market" economy. This means he believes in less government control over businesses and more competition. In his first term as prime minister, he made changes to the banking system. These changes made it easier for people to invest money abroad.
As Minister of Finance (2003–2005), Netanyahu made big changes to Israel's economy. He worked to reduce the size of the government's role in the economy. He also made the tax system simpler and passed laws against monopolies. Monopolies are when one company controls an entire market. His goal was to increase competition.
These changes helped the Israeli economy grow a lot, and unemployment went down. Many people said he created an "economic miracle." Direct investment in Israel increased significantly. Some critics called his economic ideas "popular capitalism," similar to those of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Views on Counter-Terrorism
Netanyahu has written three books about fighting terrorism. He sees terrorism as a form of totalitarianism, which is a system where the government has total control.
He believes that stricter immigration laws can help fight terrorism. He wrote in 1995 that the time of "immigration free-for-all should be brought to an end." Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan admired Netanyahu's work on this topic. Reagan even recommended Netanyahu's book Terrorism: How the West Can Win to his top advisors.
Peace Process Views
Netanyahu did not support the Oslo Accords when they were first made. These were agreements aimed at peace between Israelis and Palestinians. During his first term as prime minister, he often did not follow commitments made by earlier Israeli governments as part of the Oslo peace process.
In 2009, Netanyahu stated that any peace agreement needed two main things. First, Palestinians must recognize Israel as the home state for the Jewish people. Second, there must be strong security for Israel. He also said that a future Palestinian state should not have an army or missiles. He also stated that Jerusalem should remain an undivided Israeli city.
He has often talked about an "economic peace." This idea focuses on working together on economic projects rather than always arguing about political issues. He discussed these ideas with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
In 2009, Netanyahu told Tony Blair that he would continue expanding settlements in the West Bank. However, he said no new settlements would be built. In 2014, he agreed to a U.S. plan based on the "green line" (the border before 1967). He also said that Jewish settlers should be allowed to stay in their homes under Palestinian rule if a peace agreement was reached.
.jpg)
In January 2020, Netanyahu publicly supported former U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for Israelis and Palestinians.
The U.S. helped create the Abraham Accords. These agreements led to Israel normalizing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. This was a big step, as these were the first Arab countries to normalize ties with Israel since Jordan in 1994. The accords were signed in Washington, D.C., on 15 September 2020.
.jpg)
In October 2020, President Trump announced that Sudan would also normalize ties with Israel. This made Sudan the third Arab state to do so as part of the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu thanked President Trump, saying they were "changing history." This was followed by Morocco also establishing relations with Israel in December.
Bar-Ilan Speech
On 14 June 2009, Netanyahu gave an important speech at Bar-Ilan University. It was broadcast live in Israel and parts of the Arab world. In this speech, he said for the first time that he supported the idea of a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel.
However, he set conditions for this state. He said it must be fully demilitarized, meaning no army, rockets, or control of its own airspace. He also said Jerusalem would remain undivided Israeli territory. He stated that Palestinians should recognize Israel as the Jewish national state. He rejected the idea of Palestinian refugees returning to Israel. He also said that stopping all settlement building in the West Bank was not possible. He stated that expansions would be limited to "natural growth" of the population.
Netanyahu also said that if Israel had been created earlier, the Holocaust might not have happened. He called Israel the "homeland of the Jewish people." He said he was willing to meet with any Arab leader for talks without conditions. This speech showed a new position for his government on the peace process.
Some right-wing members of his government criticized his speech. They believed that all the land should be under Israeli control. The Palestinian National Authority rejected the conditions Netanyahu set for a Palestinian state.
Defense and Security
In 2011, Netanyahu arranged a prisoner exchange. 1000 Hamas and Fatah prisoners were released in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Many of these prisoners had been involved in attacks.
Under Netanyahu's leadership, the Israeli National Security Council has played a bigger role in planning foreign policy and making decisions.
Views on Immigration
In his 1995 book, Netanyahu argued that tightening immigration laws in Western countries is the best way to fight terrorism.
In 2012, Netanyahu's government passed the "Prevention of Infiltration Law." This law allowed for the automatic detention of anyone entering Israel without permission, including asylum-seekers. Amnesty International called this law unfair. Between 2009 and 2013, about 60,000 people crossed into Israel from African countries. Netanyahu said this was a serious issue that threatened Israel's society and security. Many of these migrants were held in detention camps. When Israel's Supreme Court said the law was illegal, Netanyahu asked for new laws to work around the ruling.
Netanyahu has also criticized the open immigration policies of some European Union countries. He has urged leaders of countries like Hungary and Poland to close their borders to illegal immigration.
Personal Life
_-_P.M._BENJAMIN_NETANYAHU_LIGHTING_HANUKA_CANDLES_WITH_HIS_WIFE_AND_SONS.jpg)
Netanyahu has been married three times. His first marriage was to Miriam Weizmann. They had one daughter, Noa.
In 1981, he married Fleur Cates, who later converted to Judaism. They divorced in 1988.
His third wife is Sara Ben-Artzi. They met when she was a flight attendant. They married in 1991. They have two sons: Yair (born 1991) and Avner (born 1994). Avner won a national Bible quiz for youth. Both sons served in the IDF.
Health
Netanyahu has had a heart condition called right bundle branch block since around 2003. In July 2023, he had a pacemaker implanted. A hernia was found in March 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Benjamín Netanyahu para niños
- List of Israeli politicians
- List of Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni
Images for kids
-
Netanyahu (right) with Sorin Hershko, a soldier wounded and permanently paralyzed in Operation Entebbe, 2 July 1986
-
Netanyahu's first meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at the Erez crossing, 4 September 1996
-
Netanyahu sitting with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at the Wye River Memorandum, 1998
-
Netanyahu in a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev in Russia, 24 March 2011
-
Netanyahu, Hillary Clinton, George J. Mitchell and Mahmoud Abbas at the start of the direct talks, 2 September 2010
-
Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
-
Netanyahu meets with President Donald Trump in Jerusalem, May 2017
-
President Trump, joined by Netanyahu behind, signs the proclamation recognizing Israel's 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, March 2019
-
Israelis protest against Netanyahu outside his official residence in Jerusalem on 30 July 2020
-
Netanyahu's motorcade departs the prime minister's residence on the early morning of 11 July 2021, a month after his ouster as prime minister.
-
Netanyahu at a memorial service of Ethiopian Israeli immigrants, in honor of their friends who died on their way to Israel.
-
Netanyahu publicly supported the Trump peace plan for the creation of a Palestinian state.
-
Standing with Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, Netanyahu holds an Iranian instruction manual for the anti-ship missile captured in Victoria Affair, March 2011
-
Protest against U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, Tehran, 11 December 2017
-
Israelis in Ashkelon run for shelter following a missile alert during Operation Protective Edge
-
Benjamin Netanyahu at the grave of his brother Yoni Netanyahu, who was killed leading a counter-terrorist operation in 1976
-
Netanyahu lighting Hanukkah candles on the first night in the prime minister's office in Jerusalem with his wife, Sara and their sons, Yair and Avner, 1996
-
Netanyahu with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2018 Moscow Victory Day Parade in Moscow
-
Netanyahu with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Jerusalem, 31 March 2019
_-_Benjamin_Netanyahu_and_Sorin_Hershko.jpg)
_-_P.M._BENJAMIN_NETANYAHU_SHAKING_HANDS_WITH_PALESTINIAN_AUTHORITY_CHAIRMAN_YASSER_ARAFAT.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_-_A_memorial_service_of_Ethiopian_immigrants.jpg)
_-_P.M._Netanyahu_at_Memorial_Service_for_Yoni.jpg)
