Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu, also affectionately referred to as Bibi Netanyahu, is Israel’s ninth Prime Minister. The politician has been in power since 2009 and started his fifth term as Prime Minister after the 2019 elections. Netanyahu is the first Prime Minister to be born in the State of Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career
After several studies, Netanyahu entered politics. He served as the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations in New York from 1984 to 1988. In 1988, he moved back to Israel where he was elected a Member of Parliament. In 1992, Netanyahu became Likud party leader, replacing Yitzhak Shamir. On 18 June, his party won the elections and Netanyahu became Israel’s ninth Prime Minister.
In 1999, Ehud Barak of the Labour Party beat Benjamin Netanyahu in the elections. Netanyahu resigned as Likud party leader and Member of Parliament. Ariel Sharon took over from him as the leader of Likud and won the 2001 elections.
Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu retired from politics in 2002. Under Prime Minister Sharon, he held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs and later became Minister of Finance. In 2005, Sharon left Likud and Netanyahu was elected the new party leader. Benjamin Netanyahu became Israel’s Prime Minister again in 2009. He has now started his fifth term as Prime Minister. This makes him the longest-serving Prime Minister of Israel in the Knesset.
