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Benjamin Netanyahu

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description Benjamin Netanyahu Overview

Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician and leader of the conservative Likud party who has served several nonconsecutive terms as prime minister, beginning with his election in 1996. His combined tenure makes him the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history. He has also served as finance minister, foreign minister, and Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, and has been a central figure in Israeli security, economic, and foreign-policy debates.

help Benjamin Netanyahu FAQ

When did Benjamin Netanyahu first become prime minister of Israel?

Benjamin Netanyahu first became prime minister after the 1996 election and served his first term from 1996 to 1999. He was the first person born in Israel to become prime minister. [Knesset profile](https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/About/Lexicon/Pages/netanyahu.aspx)

What were Benjamin Netanyahu's nonconsecutive terms as prime minister?

The Knesset lists terms from 1996 to 1999, from 2009 to 2021, and beginning in December 2022. This is why biographies describe his premiership as three separate periods rather than one continuous tenure.

Which political party does Benjamin Netanyahu lead?

Netanyahu is the leader of Likud, Israel's main conservative political party. He has represented Likud in the Knesset and built his national political career around the party.

What did Netanyahu do before becoming prime minister?

Before entering senior politics, Netanyahu served in the Israel Defense Forces' Sayeret Matkal and later worked in diplomacy. He was also Israel's ambassador to the United Nations before his first premiership.