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[[File:Flag of Palestine.svg]]
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Benjamin Netanyahu<br>{{small|בנימין נתניהו}}
|image = Benjamin Netanyahu portrait.jpg
|alt = Head and shoulders portrait of 60-ish man with gray hair, wearing suit and tie and looking at camera.
|office = [[List of Prime Ministers of Israel|9th]] [[Prime Minister of Israel]]
|president = [[Shimon Peres]]<br>[[Reuven Rivlin]] {{small|(Elect)}}
|term_start = 31 March 2009
|term_end =
|predecessor = [[Ehud Olmert]]
|successor =
|term_start1 = 18 June 1996
|term_end1 = 6 July 1999
|president1 = [[Ezer Weizman]]
|predecessor1 = [[Shimon Peres]]
|successor1 = [[Ehud Barak]]
|office2 = [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
|term_start2 = 18 December 2012
|term_end2 = 11 November 2013
|predecessor2 = [[Avigdor Lieberman]]
|successor2 = [[Avigdor Lieberman]]
|term_start3 = 6 November 2002
|term_end3 = 28 February 2003
|primeminister3 = [[Ariel Sharon]]
|predecessor3 = [[Shimon Peres]]
|successor3 = [[Silvan Shalom]]
|office4 = [[Leader of the Opposition (Israel)|Leader of the Opposition]]
|term_start4 = 28 March 2006
|term_end4 = 31 March 2009
|primeminister4 = [[Ehud Olmert]]
|predecessor4 = [[Amir Peretz]]
|successor4 = [[Tzipi Livni]]
|office5 = [[Ministry of Finance (Israel)|Minister of Finance]]
|term_start5 = 28 February 2003
|term_end5 = 9 August 2005
|primeminister5 = [[Ariel Sharon]]
|predecessor5 = [[Silvan Shalom]]
|successor5 = [[Ehud Olmert]]
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|10|21|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]]
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = [[Likud]]
|otherparty = [[Likud Yisrael Beiteinu]]
|spouse = Miriam Weizmann {{small|(1972–1978)}}<br>Fleur Cates {{small|(1981–1984)}}<br>[[Sara Netanyahu|Sara Ben-Artzi]] {{small|(1991–present)}}
|children = 3
|alma_mater = [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]
|religion = [[Secular Jewish culture|Secular Judaism]]<ref>[http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/01/bibis-blues.html Bibi’s Blues] 23 January 2013, David Remnick, [[The New Yorker|New Yorker]]</ref>
|signature = Benjamin Netanyahu Signature.svg
|website = [http://www.netanyahu.org.il/en/ Official website]
|allegiance = {{flag|Israel}}
|branch = {{flagicon|Israel|tsahal}} [[Israeli Defense Forces]]
|serviceyears = 1967–1973
|rank = [[Israel Defense Forces ranks|Captain]]
|unit = [[Sayeret Matkal]]
|battles = [[War of Attrition]]<br>[[Yom Kippur War]]
}}
{{Infobox member of the Knesset
|Knesset(s) = [[List of members of the twelfth Knesset|12]], [[List of members of the thirteenth Knesset|13]], [[List of members of the fourteenth Knesset|14]], [[List of members of the fifteenth Knesset|15]], [[List of members of the sixteenth Knesset|16]], [[List of members of the seventeenth Knesset|17]], [[List of members of the eighteenth Knesset|18]], [[List of members of the nineteenth Knesset|19]]
|minister1 = [[Science and Technology Minister of Israel|Minister of Science and Technology]]
|ministeryears1 = 1996–1997
|minister2 = [[Ministry of Housing and Construction|Minister of Housing and Construction]]
|ministeryears2 = 1996–1999
|minister3 = [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
|ministeryears3 = 2002–2003
|minister4 = [[Ministry of Finance (Israel)|Minister of Finance]]
|ministeryears4 = 2003–2005
|minister5 = [[Economic Strategy Ministry|Minister of Economic Strategy]]
|ministeryears5 = 2009–2013
|minister6 = [[Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel|Minister of Pensioner Affairs]]
|ministeryears6 = 2009–2013
|minister7 = [[Ministry of Health (Israel)|Minister of Health]]
|ministeryears7 = 2009–2013
|minister8 = [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
|ministeryears8 = 2012–present
|minister9 = [[Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister of Israel|Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs]]
|ministeryears9 = 2013–present
}}
'''Benjamin''' "'''Bibi'''" '''Netanyahu''' ({{hebrew audio|בִּנְיָמִין "בִּיבִּי" נְתַנְיָהוּ|He-Benjamin Netanyahu.ogg|link=yes}}, {{lang-ar|بنيامين نتنياهو}}; born 21 October 1949) is an [[Israel]]i politician and the current [[Prime Minister of Israel]]. He also currently serves as a [[List of members of the nineteenth Knesset|member]] of the [[Knesset]], the Chairman of the [[Likud]] party and [[Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister of Israel|Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs]].

Born in [[Tel Aviv]] to [[secular Jewish culture|secular Jewish]] parents,<ref>[http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=48021 The Enduring Influence of Benjamin Netanyahu's Father] Judy Dempsey, 3 May 2012, [[Carnegie Endowment for International Peace]]</ref> Netanyahu is the first Israeli prime minister [[Sabra (person)|born in Israel]] after the [[Israeli Declaration of Independence|establishment of the state]]. Netanyahu joined the [[Israel Defense Forces]] during the [[Six-Day War]] in 1967, and became a team leader in the [[Sayeret Matkal]] special forces unit. He took part in many missions, including [[Battle of Karameh|Operation Inferno]] (1968), [[1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon|Operation Gift]] (1968) and [[Sabena Flight 571|Operation Isotope]] (1972), during which he was shot in the shoulder. He fought on the front lines in the [[War of Attrition]] and the [[Yom Kippur War]] in 1973, taking part in special forces raids along the [[Suez Canal]], and then leading a commando assault deep into [[Syria]]n territory.<ref>אמיר בוחבוט, [http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART1/560/122.html "סיירת מטכ"ל בת 50"]</ref> He achieved the [[Israel Defense Forces ranks|rank of captain]] before being discharged. Netanyahu served as the [[Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations|Israeli ambassador to the United Nations]] from 1984 to 1988, member of the Likud party, and was Prime Minister from June 1996 to July 1999. He moved from the political arena to the private sector after being defeated in the [[Israeli general election, 1999|1999 election for Prime Minister]] by [[Ehud Barak]].

Netanyahu returned to politics in 2002 as Foreign Affairs Minister (2002–2003) and [[Ministry of Finance (Israel)|Finance Minister]] (2003–2005) in [[Ariel Sharon]]'s governments, but he departed the government over disagreements regarding the [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]] [[Israel's unilateral disengagement plan|disengagement plan]]. He retook the Likud leadership in December 2005, after Sharon left to form a new party.<ref name=xinh/> In the [[Israeli legislative election, 2006|2006 election]], Likud did poorly, winning [[List of members of the seventeenth Knesset|12 seats]].<ref name=poor/> In December 2006, Netanyahu became the official [[Leader of the Opposition (Israel)|Leader of the Opposition]] in the Knesset and Chairman of Likud. In 2007, he retained the Likud leadership by beating [[Moshe Feiglin]] in party elections.<ref name=feig/> Following the [[Israeli legislative election, 2009|2009 parliamentary election]], in which Likud placed second and right-wing parties won a majority,<ref>{{cite news |first=Gil|last=Hoffman|title= Kadima wins, but rightist bloc biggest |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=132385 |publisher=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=10 February 2009 |accessdate=17 June 2012}}</ref> Netanyahu formed a [[Thirty-second government of Israel|coalition government]].<ref name=swornh>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu sworn in as Israel's prime minister |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-sworn-in-as-israel-s-prime-minister-1.273265 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=31 March 2009 |accessdate=10 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=swornr>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu sworn in as Israeli prime minister |first=Jeffrey |last=Heller |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/03/31/us-israel-idUSTRE52U4VH20090331 |newspaper=Reuters |date=31 March 2009 |accessdate=10 March 2013}}</ref> After the victory in the [[Israeli legislative election, 2013|2013 elections]], he became the second person to be [[List of Prime Ministers of Israel|elected to the position of Prime Minister]] for a third term, after Israel's founder [[David Ben-Gurion]].

In 2012, Netanyahu was listed 23rd on the [[Forbes Magazine's List of The World's Most Powerful People|''Forbes'' magazine's list of "The World's Most Powerful People."]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.forbes.com/powerful-people/list/ |title=The World's Most Powerful People List |last1=Ewalt |first1=David M. |last2=Howard |first2=Caroline |last3=Noer |first3=Michael |date=5 December 2012 |publisher=Forbes |accessdate=2 April 2013}}</ref> In 2013, he was ranked third on the list of the "Most Influential Jews in the World" by ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-Features/Top-50-most-influential-Jews-2013-Places-1-10-313129 | title=Top 50 most influential Jews 2013: Places 1-10 | work=The Jerusalem Post | date=4 May 2013 | accessdate=5 August 2013}}</ref> He had been ranked first on the list in 2012 and 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu tops JPost's list of influential Jews |first=Herb |last=Keinon |url=http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=271444 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |date=25 May 2012 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=50 most influential Jews in the world: Complete list |first1=Amy |last1=Spiro |first2=Rachel |last2=Marder |url=http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=271441 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |date=25 May 2012 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

== Biography ==

=== Early life and career ===
<!-- Do not use the term occupied to describe Tel Aviv. Political term does not belong here-->
Netanyahu was born in 1949 in [[Tel Aviv]], to Zila Segal (28 August 1912&nbsp;– 31 January 2000) and professor [[Benzion Netanyahu]] (1910–2012), the middle of three children. He was initially raised and educated in [[Jerusalem]], where he attended Henrietta Szold Elementary School. A copy of his evaluation from his 6th grade teacher Ruth Rubenstein revealed that Netanyahu was courteous, polite, helpful, his work was "responsible and punctual", and that Netanyahu was friendly, disciplined, cheerful, brave, active and obedient.<ref name="JPost responsible">{{cite news| url=http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=282840 | title=PM was 'responsible' sixth-grader, evaluation shows |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=28 August 2012 | accessdate=30 August 2012 |author=Lidman, Melanie}}</ref>
Between 1956 and 1958, and again from 1963 to 1967,<ref name="ynetnews.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4187902,00.html |title=Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu |date=10 February 2012 |publisher=Ynetnews |accessdate=9 March 2013}}</ref> his family lived in the United States in [[Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania]], a suburb of [[Philadelphia]], where he attended and graduated from [[Cheltenham High School]] and was active in a [[debate|debate club]]. To this day, he speaks [[American English]] with a [[Philadelphia accent]].<ref name=Gresh>{{cite book |last1=Gresh |first1=Alain |last2=Vidal |first2=Dominique |title=The New A-Z of the Middle East |edition=2nd |year=2004 |publisher=I.B. Tauris |isbn=978-1-86064-326-2 |page=217}}</ref>

After graduating from high school in 1967, Netanyahu returned to Israel to enlist in the [[Israel Defense Forces|IDF]]. He trained as a combat soldier and became a team leader in an elite special forces unit of the IDF, [[Sayeret Matkal]]. He took part in numerous cross-border assault raids during the 1969–70 [[War of Attrition]]. He was involved in many other missions, including [[Battle of Karameh|Operation Inferno]] (1968), and the rescue of the hijacked [[Sabena Flight 571]] in May 1972 in which he was shot in the shoulder.<ref>{{cite news |title=More than six decades on, Israel memorializes late commander of British Army's Jewish Unit |first=Yossi |last=Melman |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/more-than-six-decades-on-israel-memorializes-late-commander-of-british-army-s-jewish-unit-1.325308 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=18 November 2010 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

After his army service, Netanyahu returned to the United States in late 1972 to study architecture at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. He returned to Israel in October 1973 to serve in the [[Yom Kippur War]] for a 40-day period.<ref>{{cite news |title=Professor recalls Netanyahu's intense studies in three fields |first=Charles H. |last=Ball |url=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/1996/netanyahu-0605.html |newspaper=MIT Tech Talk |date=5 June 1996 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> While there, he fought in special forces raids along the [[Suez Canal]], as well as leading a commando team deep into Syrian territory. He then returned to the United States and eventually completed an [[Scientiæ Baccalaureus|S.B.]] degree<ref name=MITDegrees>{{cite web |url=http://web.mit.edu/registrar/stats/degrees/index.html |title=Enrollment Statistics: MIT Office of the Registrar |publisher=Web.mit.edu |date= |accessdate=17 October 2012}}</ref> in architecture<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/specials/mit150/mitlist/?page=full|title=The MIT 150: 150 Ideas, Inventions, and Innovators that Helped Shape Our World|work=The Boston Globe|date=15 May 2011|accessdate=8 August 2011}}</ref> in 1975 and earned an [[Scientiæ Magister|S.M.]]<ref name=MITDegrees /> degree from the [[MIT Sloan School of Management]] in 1977. Concurrently, he studied political science at [[Harvard University]].<ref>''Survey of Arab-Israeli Relations'', By Cathy Hartley, David Lea, Paul Cossali, Annamarie Rowe, (Taylor & Francis, 2004), page 522</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2393677.stm |title=Profile: Benjamin Netanyahu |date=20 February 2009 |publisher=BBC News Online |accessdate=9 March 2013}}</ref> At that time he changed his name to Benjamin Ben Nitai (Nitai, a reference to both [[Mount Nitai]] and to the eponymous Jewish sage [[Nittai of Arbela]], was a pen name often used by his father for articles).<ref name="Gresh"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Young Netanyahu Debates|url=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aa4_1365293764|publisher=''liveleak.com''|date=6 April 2013}}</ref> Years later, in an interview with the media, Netanyahu clarified that he decided to do so to make it easier for Americans to pronounce his name. This fact has been used by his political rivals to accuse him indirectly of a lack of Israeli national identity and loyalty.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ariel |first=Mira |title=Pragmatics and Grammar |series=Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics |year=2008 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-55018-5}}</ref>

In 1976 Netanyahu lost his older brother [[Yonatan Netanyahu]]. Yonatan was serving as the commander of Benjamin's former unit, the Sayeret Matkal, and was killed in action during the [[counter-terrorism]] hostage-rescue mission [[Operation Entebbe]] in which his unit rescued more than 100 Israeli hostages hijacked by terrorists and flown to the [[Entebbe International Airport|Entebbe Airport]] in Uganda.

At MIT, Netanyahu graduated near the top of his class, and was recruited as a [[management consultant]] for the [[Boston Consulting Group]] in Boston, Massachusetts, working at the company between 1976 and 1978. At the Boston Consulting Group, he was a colleague of [[Mitt Romney]]. Romney remembers that Netanyahu at the time was: "[A] strong personality with a distinct point of view."<ref>{{cite news |title=A Friendship Dating From 1976 Resonates in 2012 |last=Barbaro |first=Michael |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/us/politics/mitt-romney-and-benjamin-netanyahu-are-old-friends.html?_r=1&ref=politics&pagewanted=all |publisher=New York Times |date=7 April 2012 |accessdate=7 April 2012}}</ref>

In 1978, Netanyahu returned to Israel. Between 1978 and 1980 he ran the Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute,<ref name="ynetnews.com"/> a non-governmental organization devoted to the study of terrorism; the Institute held a number of international conferences focused on the discussion of international terrorism. From 1980 to 1982 he was director of marketing for Rim Industries in Jerusalem.<ref>''The Clinton Years'', (Infobase Publishing, 2009), By Shirley Anne Warshaw, page 240</ref> During this period Netanyahu made his first connections with several Israeli politicians, including Minister [[Moshe Arens]], who appointed him as his Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., a position he held from 1982 until 1984.<ref name="netanyahu">{{cite news| url=http://www.netanyahu.org/biography.html | work=Netanyahu.org | title= Benjamin Netanyahu | accessdate=18 November 2012}}</ref> Between 1984 and 1988 Netanyahu served as the [[Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations|Israeli ambassador to the United Nations]].<ref name="netanyahu" /> It was then that Netanyahu met the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/1394394/jewish/Truth-vs-Darkness-in-the-United-Nations.htm |title=Truth vs. Darkness in the United Nations |last=Netanyahu |first=Benjamin |date=24 September 2009 |publisher=Chabad.org |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |people=Netanyahu, Benjamin |year=2011 |title=The Light of Truth at the UN |medium=Speech |url=http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1632210/jewish/The-Light-of-Truth-at-the-UN.htm |accessdate=17 March 2013 |publisher=Chabad.org |location=New York City}}</ref>

=== Early political career: 1988–1996 ===
[[File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - Benjamin Netanyahu and Sorin Hershko.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Netanyahu (right) with Sorin Hershko, a soldier wounded and permanently paralyzed in [[Operation Entebbe]], 2 July 1986.]]
Prior to the [[Israeli legislative election, 1988|1988 Israeli legislative election]] Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the [[Likud]] party. In the Likud's internal elections, Netanyahu was placed fifth on the party list. Later on he was elected as a Knesset member of the 12th Knesset, and was appointed as a deputy of the foreign minister [[Moshe Arens]], and later on [[David Levy (Israeli politician)|David Levy]]. Netanyahu and Levy did not cooperate and the rivalry between the two only intensified afterwards. During the [[Madrid Conference of 1991]] Netanyahu was among members the Israeli delegation headed by Prime Minister [[Yitzhak Shamir]]. After the Madrid Conference Netanyahu was appointed as Deputy Minister in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.<ref name="netanyahu" />

Following the defeat of the [[Likud]] party in the [[Israeli legislative election, 1992|1992 Israeli legislative elections]] the Likud party held a primary election in 1993 to select its leader, and Netanyahu was victorious, defeating [[Benny Begin]], son of the late Prime Minister [[Menachem Begin]], and veteran politician [[David Levy (Israeli politician)|David Levy]]<ref>{{cite news |title= Netanyahu wins battle for leadership of Likud |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/netanyahu-wins-battle-for-leadership-of-likud-1499916.html |work=The Independent |location=London |date=26 March 1993 |accessdate=11 August 2009 }}</ref> (Sharon initially sought Likud party leadership as well, but quickly withdrew when it was evident that he was attracting minimal support). Shamir retired from politics shortly after the Likud's defeat in the 1992 elections.<ref>{{cite news |title=Yitzhak Shamir, Former Israeli Prime Minister, Dies at 96 |first=Joel |last=Brinkley |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/world/middleeast/yitzhak-shamir-former-prime-minister-of-israel-dies-at-96.html?pagewanted=all |newspaper=The New York Times |date=30 June 2012 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

Following the [[assassination of Yitzhak Rabin]], his temporary successor [[Shimon Peres]] decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process.<ref>{{cite news |title=Israeli elections will test support for peace |first=Jerrold |last=Kessel |url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9602/israel_elex/02-11/index.html |newspaper=CNN |date=11 February 1996 |accessdate=10 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for Prime Minister in the [[Israeli prime ministerial election, 1996|1996 Israeli legislative election]] which took place on 26 May 1996 and were the first Israeli elections in which [[Israelis]] elected their Prime Minister directly. Netanyahu hired American [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] political operative [[Arthur J. Finkelstein|Arthur Finkelstein]] to run his campaign, and although the American style of sound bites and sharp attacks elicited harsh criticism from inside Israel, it proved effective. The method was later copied by [[Ehud Barak]] during the [[Israeli prime ministerial election, 1999|1999 election campaign]] in which he beat Netanyahu. Netanyahu won the [[Israeli prime ministerial election, 1996|election]], becoming the youngest person in the history of the position and the first Israeli Prime Minister to be born in the State of Israel ([[Yitzhak Rabin]] was born in Jerusalem, under the British Mandate of Palestine, prior to the 1948 founding of the Israeli state).

Netanyahu's victory over the pre-election favorite [[Shimon Peres]] surprised many. The main catalyst in the downfall of the latter was a wave of [[List of Palestinian suicide attacks|suicide bombings]] shortly before the elections; on [[Jaffa Road bus bombings#Second bombing|3]] and [[Dizengoff Center suicide bombing|4 March 1996]], Palestinians carried out two [[suicide bombing]]s, killing 32 Israelis, with Peres seemingly unable to stop the attacks. Unlike Peres, Netanyahu did not trust [[Yasser Arafat]] and conditioned any progress at the peace process on the [[Palestinian National Authority]] fulfilling its obligations – mainly fighting terrorism, and ran with the campaign slogan "Netanyahu – making a safe peace". However, although Netanyahu won the election for Prime Minister, [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor]] won the [[Israeli legislative election, 1996|Knesset elections]], beating the Likud–[[Gesher (political party)|Gesher]]–[[Tzomet]] alliance, meaning Netanyahu had to rely on a coalition with the [[Haredi Judaism|Ultra-orthodox]] parties, [[Shas]] and [[United Torah Judaism|UTJ]] (whose social welfare policies flew in the face of his capitalistic outlook) in order to govern.{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}

=== First Premiership: 1996–1999 ===
{{Further|Twenty-seventh government of Israel}}
A spate of suicide bombings reinforced the Likud position for security. [[Hamas]] claimed responsibility for most of the bombings. As Prime Minister Netanyahu raised many questions about many central premises of the [[Oslo peace process]]. One of his main points was disagreement with the Oslo premise that the negotiations should proceed in stages, meaning that concessions should be made to Palestinians before any resolution was reached on major issues, such as the [[status of Jerusalem]], and the amending of the [[Palestinian National Charter]]. Oslo supporters had claimed that the multi-stage approach would build goodwill among Palestinians and would propel them to seek reconciliation when these major issues were raised in later stages. Netanyahu said that these concessions only gave encouragement to extremist elements, without receiving any tangible gestures in return. He called for tangible gestures of Palestinian goodwill in return for Israeli concessions. Despite his stated differences with the [[Oslo Accords]], Prime Minister Netanyahu continued their implementation, but his Premiership saw a marked slow-down in the Peace Process.

In 1996, Netanyahu and [[Jerusalem]]'s mayor [[Ehud Olmert]] decided to open an exit in the [[Arab Quarter]] for the [[Western Wall Tunnel]], which prior Prime Minister [[Shimon Peres]] had instructed to be put on hold for the sake of peace.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/macleans/israel-opens-disputed-tunnel |title=Israel Opens Disputed Tunnel |last1=Morris |first1=Nomi |last2=Silver |first2=Eric |date=7 October 1996 |publisher=Maclean's |accessdate=9 March 2013}}</ref> This sparked three days of [[Western Wall Tunnel#Northern exit and riots|rioting]] by Palestinians, resulting in both Israelis and Palestinians being killed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Step Inside The Hidden Tunnels Under Jerusalem's Sacred Western Wall |first=Grace |last=Wyler |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/western-wall-tunnels-israel-jerusalem-temple-photos-2013-1?op=1 |newspaper=Business Insider |date=31 January 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2013}}</ref> In January 1997 Netanyahu signed the [[Hebron Protocol]] with the [[Palestinian Authority]] which resulted in the redeployment of Israeli forces in [[Hebron]] and the turnover of civilian authority in much of the area to the [[Palestinian Authority]].

[[File:Houghton house Netanyahu Albright Arafat.jpg|thumb|left|Netanyahu sitting with [[United States Secretary of State|U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Madeleine Albright]] and [[President of the Palestinian National Authority|Palestinian President]] [[Yasser Arafat]] at the [[Wye River Memorandum]], 1998]]
Eventually, the lack of progress of the peace process led to new negotiations which produced the [[Wye River Memorandum]] in 1998 which detailed the steps to be taken by the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 1995. It was signed by Netanyahu and PLO Chairman [[Yasser Arafat]], and on 17 November 1998, Israel's 120 member parliament, the [[Knesset]], approved the Wye River Memorandum by a vote of 75–19. As Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized a policy of "three no(s)": no withdrawal from the Golan Heights, no discussion of the case of Jerusalem, no negotiations under any preconditions.<ref>Hawas, Akram T. ''[http://www.smi.uib.no/pao/hawas.html#fn54 The new alliance: Turkey and Israel]''. The fourth Nordic conference on Middle Eastern Studies:
The Middle East in globalizing world. Oslo, 13–16 August 1998.</ref>

During his term, Netanyahu also began a process of economic liberalization, taking steps towards a free-market economy. Under his watch, the government began selling its shares in banks and major state-run companies. Netanyahu also abolished all of Israel's strict [[foreign exchange controls]], enabling Israelis to take an unrestricted amount of money out of the country, open foreign bank accounts, hold foreign currency, and invest freely in other countries.<ref>[http://www.jta.org/1998/04/29/archive/israel-reforms-economy-on-eve-of-independence-day-2 http://www.jta.org/1998/04/29/archive/israel-reforms-economy-on-eve-of-independence-day-2]</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/26/world/in-fight-over-privatization-netanyahu-wins-a-round.html In Fight Over Privatization, Netanyahu Wins a Round]</ref>

Throughout his term, Netanyahu was opposed by the political left wing in Israel and lost support from the right because of his concessions to the Palestinians in [[Hebron]] and elsewhere, and due to his negotiations with Arafat generally. Netanyahu lost favor with the Israeli public after a long chain of scandals involving his marriage and corruption charges. In 1997, [[Israel Police|police]] recommended that Netanyahu be indicted on corruption charges for influence-peddling. He was accused of appointing an attorney general who would reduce the charges and prosecutors ruled that there was insufficient evidence to go to trial.<ref name=latimes_corruption>{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2000/mar/29/news/mn-13783|work=LA Times |date=29 March 2000 |accessdate=11 July 2011 |first=Tracy |last=Wilkinson |title=Israeli Police Want Netanyahu, Wife Indicted Over Handling of State Gifts}}</ref> In 1999, Netanyahu faced another scandal when the [[Israel Police]] recommended that he be tried for corruption for $100,000 in free services from a government contractor; Israel's attorney general did not prosecute, citing difficulties with evidence.<ref name=corruption>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/09/27/world/main236708.shtml|publisher=[[CBS]] |date=11 February 2009 |accessdate=11 July 2011 |title=Netanyahu Corruption Charges Dropped}}</ref>

After being defeated by [[Ehud Barak]] in the 1999 [[Israeli prime ministerial election, 1999|election for Prime Minister]], Netanyahu temporarily retired from politics.<ref name=bio>{{cite news |title= Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3064466,00.html |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |date=28 March 2005 |accessdate=5 August 2009}}</ref> He subsequently served as a senior consultant with Israeli communications equipment developer BATM for two years.<ref>{{cite news|title=Netanyahu Now High-Tech Consultant|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1999/aug/03/news/mn-62127|accessdate=20 September 2012|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=3 August 1999|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Freund|first=Oren|title=חברת העבר של בנימין נתניהו נרשמה למסחר בבורסה בת"א|url=http://www.themarker.com/markets/1.1826447|accessdate=20 September 2012|newspaper=[[TheMarker]]|date=19 September 2012|language=Hebrew}}</ref>

=== Political downturn and recovery: 2000–2003 ===
[[File:Vladimir Putin 21 December 2000-1.jpg|thumb|Netanyahu with [[Vladimir Putin]] at the Jewish Community Centre, [[Moscow]], 2000]]
With the fall of the Barak government in late 2000, Netanyahu expressed his desire to return to politics. By law, Barak's resignation was supposed to lead to elections for the prime minister position only. Netanyahu insisted that general elections should be held, claiming that otherwise it would be impossible to have a stable government. Netanyahu decided eventually not to run for the prime minister position, a move which facilitated the surprising rise to power of [[Ariel Sharon]], who at the time was considered less popular than Netanyahu. In 2002, after the [[Israeli Labor Party]] left the coalition and vacated the position of foreign minister, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Netanyahu as Foreign Minister.<ref name="netanyahu" /> Netanyahu challenged Sharon for the leadership of the [[Likud]] party, but failed to oust Sharon.<ref>{{cite news |title= Sharon Beats Netanyahu in Likud Primary |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,71685,00.html |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=28 November 2002 |accessdate=29 July 2009}}</ref>

On 9 September 2002, a scheduled speech by Netanyahu at [[Concordia University (Quebec)|Concordia University]] in [[Montreal]], Quebec, Canada [[Anti-Netanyahu riot at Concordia University|was canceled]] after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed security and smashed through a glass window. Netanyahu was not present at the protest, having remained at Montreal's [[Ritz-Carlton Montreal|Ritz-Carlton Hotel]] throughout the duration. He later accused the activists of supporting terrorism and "mad zealotry."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cautbulletin.ca/en_article.asp?ArticleID=1405 |title=Concordia University Imposes Ban on Middle East Events |publisher=Canadian Association of University Teachers |accessdate=4 March 2013}}</ref> Weeks later on 1 October 2002 around 200 protesters met Netanyahu outside his [[Heinz Hall]] appearance in [[Pittsburgh]] although [[Pittsburgh Police]], Israeli security and a Pittsburgh [[SWAT]] unit allowed his speeches to continue [[Downtown Pittsburgh|downtown]] at the hall and the [[Duquesne Club]] as well as suburban [[Robert Morris University]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu says U.S. should topple Saddam |first1=Steve |last1=Levin |first2=Dennis |last2=Roddy |first3=Bill |last3=Schackner |first4=Nate |last4=Guidry |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/World/20021002netanyahu2.asp |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=2 October 2002 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref>

On 12 September 2002, Netanyahu testified (under oath as a private citizen) before the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] [[Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]] regarding the nuclear threat posed by the [[Iraq]]i régime: "There is no question whatsoever that [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam]] is seeking and is working and is advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons – no question whatsoever,” he said. “And there is no question that once he acquires it, history shifts immediately.”<ref>{{cite news |title=Iraq 2002, Iran 2012: Compare and contrast Netanyahu's speeches |url=http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/diplomania/iraq-2002-iran-2012-compare-and-contrast-netanyahu-s-speeches-1.468213 |newspaper=Haaretz|date= |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu and other high rank officials from different countries had suspected that Iraq could develop a nuclear capability, as the country began building a nuclear power plant program in 1959 with the [[USSR]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Keeley |first=James F |year=2009 |title=A list of bilateral civilian nuclear co-operation agreements |publisher=University of Calgary, Canada |page=595 |quote=Source: UNTS 10362. |volume=5 |url=http://dspace.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/1880/47373/11/Treaty_List_Volume_05.pdf |deadurl=no |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref>

=== Finance Minister: 2003–2005 ===
After the [[Israeli legislative election, 2003|2003 Israeli legislative election]], in what many observers regarded as a surprise move, Sharon offered the [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Foreign Ministry]] to [[Silvan Shalom]] and offered Netanyahu the [[Finance Minister of Israel|Finance Ministry]]. Some pundits speculated that Sharon made the move because he deemed Netanyahu a political threat given his demonstrated effectiveness as Foreign Minister, and that by placing him in the Finance Ministry during a time of economic uncertainty, he could diminish Netanyahu's popularity. Netanyahu accepted the new appointment after Sharon agreed to provide him with an unprecedented level of independence in running the ministry.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

As Finance Minister, Netanyahu undertook an economic plan in order to restore Israel's economy from its low point during the [[Second Intifada]]. The plan involved a move toward more [[Free market|liberalized markets]], although it was not without its critics. Netanyahu succeeded in passing several long-unresolved reforms, including an important reform in the banking system.<ref>{{cite news |title= Netanyahu Economic Revolution Far Greater than Reported |url=http://www.iris.org.il/blog/archives/345-Netanyahu-Economic-Revolution-Far-Greater-than-Reported.html |publisher=Information Regarding Israel's Security (IRIS) |date=27 September 2005 |accessdate=29 July 2009}}</ref> However, opponents in the Labor party (and even a few within his own Likud) viewed Netanyahu's policies as "Thatcherite" attacks on the venerated Israeli social safety net.<ref>{{cite news |first=Gil |last=Hoffman |title=Netanyahu: Sharon is a dictator |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=5323 |publisher=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=21 November 2005 |accessdate=17 June 2012}}</ref>

Netanyahu threatened to resign from office in 2004 unless the [[Israel's unilateral disengagement plan|Gaza pullout plan]] was put to a referendum. He later modified the ultimatum and voted for the program in the Knesset, indicating immediately thereafter that he would resign unless a referendum was held within 14 days.<ref>{{cite news |title=Knesset approves PM Sharon's disengagement plan |first1=Gideon |last1=Alon |first2=Mazal |last2=Mualem |first3=Nadav |last3=Shragai |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/knesset-approves-pm-sharon-s-disengagement-plan-1.138398 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=26 October 2004 |accessdate=10 March 2013}}</ref> He submitted his resignation letter on 7 August 2005, shortly before the Israeli cabinet voted 17 to 5 to approve the initial phase of withdrawal from [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]].<ref>{{cite news |first= Stephen |last=Farrell|title= Netanyahu resigns from Cabinet over Gaza withdrawal |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article552940.ece |work=The Times |location=London |date=8 August 2005 |accessdate=29 July 2009 }}</ref>

=== Likud leader and opposition leader: 2005–2009 ===
Following the withdrawal of Sharon from the Likud, Netanyahu was one of several candidates who vied for the Likud leadership. His most recent attempt prior to this was in September 2005 when he had tried to hold early primaries for the position of the head of the [[Likud]] party, while the party held the office of Prime Minister – thus effectively pushing Ariel Sharon out of office. The party rejected this initiative. Netanyahu retook the leadership on 20 December 2005, with 47% of the primary vote, to 32% for [[Silvan Shalom]] and 15% for [[Moshe Feiglin]].<ref name=xinh>{{cite news |title= Netanyahu elected as Likud party chairman |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/20/content_3944753.htm |publisher=Xinhua News Agency |date=20 December 2005 |accessdate=27 July 2009}}</ref> In the [[Israeli legislative election, 2006|March 2006 Knesset elections]], Likud took the third place behind [[Kadima]] and [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor]] and Netanyahu served as Leader of the Opposition.<ref name=poor>{{cite news |last= Marciano |first= Ilan|title= Likud stunned by collapse |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3233422,00.html |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |date=28 March 2006 |accessdate=27 July 2009}}</ref> On 14 August 2007, Netanyahu was reelected as chairman of the Likud and its candidate for the post of Prime Minister with 73% of the vote, against far-right candidate [[Moshe Feiglin]] and World Likud Chairman [[Danny Danon]].<ref name=feig>{{cite news |title= Netanyahu wins Likud leadership |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6947176.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=15 August 2007 |accessdate=11 August 2009}}</ref> He opposed the [[2008 Israel–Hamas ceasefire]], like others in the Knesset opposition. Specifically, Netanyahu said, "This is not a relaxation, it's an Israeli agreement to the rearming of Hamas&nbsp;... What are we getting for this?"<ref name=wash>{{cite news |last= Mitnick |first= Joshua|title= Olmert: Truce with Hamas 'fragile' |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/20/olmert-says-truce-with-hamas-fragile/ |work=The Washington Times |date=20 June 2008 |accessdate=29 July 2009}}</ref>

In the first half of 2008, doctors removed a small [[colon polyp]] that proved to be [[benign]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/171896|title=Netanyahu Undergoes Medical Examination|date=4 October 2009|publisher=[[Arutz Sheva]]|accessdate=15 October 2009}}</ref>

[[File:Netanyahu campaign posters in Jerusalem.jpg|thumb|Netanyahu campaign posters with the caption reads "HaLikud" or "The Consolidation." Slogans on the right are written in [[Russian language in Israel|Russian]]. [[Jerusalem]], 2009]]
Following [[Livni]]'s election to head [[Kadima]] and Olmert's resignation from the post of Prime Minister, Netanyahu declined to join the coalition Livni was trying to form and supported new elections, which were held in February 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tran |first= Mark|title= Netanyahu calls for new Israeli elections |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/31/israelandthepalestinians1 |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=31 July 2008 |accessdate=29 July 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu rejects Livni's call for unity government |first=Mazal |last=Mualem |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-rejects-livni-s-call-for-unity-government-1.254503 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=24 September 2008 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for Prime Minister in the [[Israeli legislative election, 2009|2009 Israeli legislative election]] which took place on 10 February 2009, as [[Tzipi Livni]], the previous [[Acting Prime Minister of Israel|Designated Acting Prime Minister]] under the Olmert government, had been unable to form a viable governing coalition. Opinion polls showed Likud in the lead, but with as many as a third of Israeli voters undecided.<ref>{{cite news |first=Marie |last=Colvin |title= Netanyahu stokes fears to take poll lead |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5683360.ece |work=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=8 February 2009 |accessdate=8 February 2009 }}</ref>

In the election itself, Likud won the second highest number of seats, Livni's party having outnumbered the Likud by one seat. A possible explanation for Likud's relatively poor showing is that some Likud supporters defected to [[Avigdor Lieberman]]'s [[Yisrael Beiteinu]] party. Netanyahu, however, claimed victory on the basis that right wing parties won the majority of the vote, and on 20 February 2009, Netanyahu was designated by [[President of Israel|Israeli President]] [[Shimon Peres]] to succeed [[Ehud Olmert]] as Prime Minister, and began his negotiations to form a coalition government.

Despite right wing parties winning a majority of 65 seats in the [[Knesset]], Netanyahu preferred a broader centrist coalition and turned to his [[Kadima]] rivals, chaired by Tzipi Livni, to join his government. This time it was Livni's turn to decline to join, with a difference of opinion on how to pursue the peace process being the stumbling block. Netanyahu did manage to entice a smaller rival, the Labour party, chaired by [[Ehud Barak]], to join his government, giving him a certain amount of centrist tone. Netanyahu presented his cabinet for a Knesset "Vote of Confidence" on 31 March 2009. The 32nd Government was approved that day by a majority of 69 lawmakers to 45 (with five abstaining) and the members were sworn in.<ref name=swornh/><ref name=swornr/>

=== Second Premiership: 2009–2013 ===
{{Further|Thirty-second government of Israel}}
[[File:Barack Obama with Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office 5-18-09 2.JPG|thumb|Netanyahu and [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]] in the [[Oval Office]], 18 May 2009]]
[[File:Med-Netan.jpeg|thumb|Netanyahu in a meeting with [[President of Russia|President]] [[Dmitry Medvedev]] in Russia, 24 March 2011]]
In 2009, US Secretary of State [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] voiced support for the establishment of a [[State of Palestine|Palestinian state]]—a solution not endorsed by [[Prime Minister of Israel|Prime Minister]]-designate Benjamin Netanyahu,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\03\04\story_4-3-2009_pg4_1|title=Clinton pledges to press for Palestinian state|agency=The Daily Times|date=4 March 2009}}</ref> with whom she had earlier pledged the United States' cooperation.<ref>{{cite news |title=In Israel, Clinton pledges to work with new government |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/world/africa/03iht-mideast.1.20555576.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=3 March 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> Upon the arrival of President Obama administration's special envoy, [[George J. Mitchell|George Mitchell]], Netanyahu said that any furtherance of negotiations with the Palestinians would be conditioned on the Palestinians recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel demands Palestinians recognize Jewish state |first=Ari |last=Rabinovitch |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/israel-demands-palestinians-recognize-jewish-state-250620 |newspaper=International Business Times |date=16 April 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> US President [[Barack Obama]] told Netanyahu that a [[two state solution]] was a priority and called for settlement growth to be frozen, while Netanyahu refused to support the creation of a [[Palestinian state]] and stated that Israel has the right to continue [[Israeli settlements|settlements]].

During [[A New Beginning|President Obama's Cairo speech]] on 4 June 2009 in which Obama addressed the [[Muslim world]], Obama stated, among other things, that "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements." Following Obama's Cairo speech Netanyahu immediately called a special government meeting. On 14 June, ten days after Obama's Cairo speech, Netanyahu gave a [[#June 2009 peace address; "Bar-Ilan Speech"|speech at Bar-Ilan University]] in which he endorsed a "Demilitarized Palestinian State", though said that Jerusalem must remain the unified capital of Israel.<ref name = "Hatz 14Jun2009">{{cite news |url= http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-backs-demilitarized-palestinian-state-1.277915 |title= Netanyahu backs demilitarized Palestinian state |author= Haaretz Service |date= 14 June 2009 |newspaper= Haaretz |accessdate=14 May 2012 }}</ref> Netanyahu stated that he would accept a [[Palestinian state]] if [[Jerusalem]] were to remain [[Positions on Jerusalem|the united capital of Israel]], the Palestinians would have no army, and the Palestinians would give up their demand for a [[Palestinian right of return|right of return]]. He also argued the right for a "natural growth" in the [[Israeli settlement|existing Jewish settlements]] in the [[West Bank]] while their permanent status is up to further negotiation. Senior Palestinian official, Sereb Ereket, said that the speech had "closed the door to permanent status negotiations" due to Netanyahu's declarations on Jerusalem, refugees and settlements.<ref name=huff/>{{Better source|reason=I have just read the source and I think this sentence misrepresents what the source (from AP) says. In the source, it says that Benjamin Netanyahu actually reversed his position, so no renewal, among other things|date=March 2012}}

Three months after starting his term, Netanyahu remarked that his cabinet already had achieved several notable successes, such as the establishment of a working [[coalition government|national unity government]], and a broad consensus for a "[[Two-state solution]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu: We have consensus on two-state solution |first=Barak |last=Ravid |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-we-have-consensus-on-two-state-solution-1.279374 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=5 July 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> A July 2009 survey by [[Ha'aretz]] found that most Israelis support the Netanyahu government, giving him a personal approval rating of about 49 percent.<ref>{{cite news |title=Poll Gives Netanyahu Positive Marks Despite Rift with US |first=Robert |last=Berger |url=http://www.voanews.com/content/a-13-2009-07-03-voa19-68745072/410252.html |newspaper=Voice of America |date=3 July 2009 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu has lifted checkpoints in the [[West Bank]] in order to allow freedom of movement and a flow of imports; a step that resulted in an economic boost in the West Bank.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nablus booms as barriers fall in occupied West Bank |first=Leigh |last=Baldwin |url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/Aug/11/Nablus-booms-as-barriers-fall-in-occupied-West-Bank.ashx |newspaper=The Daily Star (Lebanon) |date=11 August 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Thomas Friedman|title= Green Shoots in Palestine II |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/opinion/09friedman.html?_r=1 |work=The New York Times |date=9 August 2009 |accessdate=9 August 2009 |authorlink= Thomas Friedman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Khaled|last=Abu Toameh|title= West Bank boom |url=http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=148995 |publisher=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=17 July 2009 |accessdate=17 June 2012}}</ref> In 2009, Netanyahu welcomed the [[2002 Arab League summit|Arab Peace initiative]] (also known as the "Saudi Peace Initiative") and lauded a call by [[Bahrain]]'s [[Crown Prince]] [[Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa]] to normalize relations with Israel.<ref>{{cite news |title= Netanyahu supports Arab peace initiative |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/07/24/Netanyahu-supports-Arab-peace-initiative/UPI-32111248433108/ |publisher=United Press International |date=24 July 2009 |accessdate=9 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu to Arabs: Saudi plan can help bring peace |first=Barak |last=Ravid |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-to-arabs-saudi-plan-can-help-bring-peace-1.280615 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=23 July 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref>

In August 2009, Abbas declared that he would be willing to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the [[UN General Assembly]], where Netanyahu had accepted president Obama's invitation for a "triple summit," although he said it would not necessarily lead to negotiations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3767480,00.html|title=Palestinians: Abbas open to meeting with Netanyahu |last=Waked|first=Ali|date=26 September 2009|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=4 September 2009}}</ref> Netanyahu was reported to be in a pivotal moment over these understandings, that were reported to include a compromise over permission on continuing the already approved construction in the [[West Bank]] in exchange for freezing all settlements thereafter, as well as continuing building in [[East Jerusalem]], and at the same time stopping the demolition of houses of Arab inhabitants there.<ref name="Maariv1">{{cite news|url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART1/937/362.html|title=התוכנית האמריקאית: פסגה צנועה והצהרת עקרונות|last=Bengal|first=Mia|date=2 September 2009|publisher=[[Maariv]]|language=Hebrew|accessdate=4 September 2009}}</ref> On 4 September 2009, it was reported that Netanyahu was to agree to settlers' political demands to approve more settlement constructions before a temporary settlement freeze agreement took place.<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel to Approve More Settlement Construction Before Freeze |first=Robert |last=Berger |url=http://www.voanews.com/content/a-13-2009-09-04-voa19-68663332/408369.html |newspaper=Voice of America |date=4 September 2009 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref> White House spokesman [[Robert Gibbs]] expressed "regret" over the move;<ref>{{cite news |title=US, EU slam Netanyahu's approval of construction |first=Yitzhak |last=Benhorin |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3772205,00.html |newspaper=Ynetnews |date=4 September 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> however, one U.S. official said the move will not "derail [the] train".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0909/US_Settlement_move_wont_derail_train.html?showall|title=U.S official.: Settlement move won't 'derail train'|last=Smith|first=Ben|date=4 September 2009|publisher=Politico|accessdate=4 September 2009}}</ref>

On 7 September 2009, Netanyahu left his office without reporting where he was headed. The prime minister's military secretary, Maj. Gen. Meir Kalifi, later reported Netanyahu had visited a security facility in Israel.<ref name="dis-1">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3774201,00.html|title=Report: PM held secret talks in Russia|date=10 September 2009|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=11 September 2009}}</ref> Several different news agencies reported several different stories about where he was.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3773829,00.html|title=Palestinian paper: Netanyahu visited Arab state|date=8 September 2009|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=11 September 2009}}</ref> On 9 September 2009, [[Yedioth Ahronoth]] reported that the Israeli leader had made a secret flight to Moscow to try to persuade Russian officials not to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran.<ref name=dis-1/><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu secretly visited Russia: reports |first1=Amie |last1=Ferris-Rotman |first2=Jeffrey |last2=Heller |first3=Philippa |last3=Fletcher |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/09/09/us-israel-russia-idUSTRE5882T420090909 |newspaper=Reuters |date=9 September 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu absence sparks rumours of Russia visit |first1=Vita |last1=Bekker |first2=Charles |last2=Clover |first3=Stefan |last3=Wagstyl |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b5c17af8-9e69-11de-b0aa-00144feabdc0.html |newspaper=Financial Times |date=11 September 2009 |accessdate=10 March 2013}}</ref> Headlines branded Netanyahu a "liar" and dubbed the affair a "fiasco."<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu draws fire in Israel over secret trip |first=Jeffrey |last=Heller |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/09/10/us-israel-netanyahu-idUSTRE5891YJ20090910 |newspaper=Reuters |date=10 September 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Israeli PM's secret trip irks media |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2009/09/20099115339794467.html |newspaper=Al Jazeera English |date=11 September 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> It was later reported that the PM's military secretary will be dismissed due to the affair.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu aide likely to pay price for 'secret' Russia trip |first=Amos |last=Harel |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-aide-likely-to-pay-price-for-secret-russia-trip-1.8085 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=11 September 2009 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref> ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' reported that the trip was made to share the names of Russian scientists that Israel believes are abetting the alleged Iranian nuclear weapons program.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Uzi |last1=Mahnaimi |author2=Franchetti, Mark; Swain, Jon |title=Israel names Russians helping Iran build nuclear bomb |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6860161.ece |work=The Sunday Times |location=London |date=4 October 2009 |accessdate=4 October 2009}}</ref>
[[File:PalestinianLegislativeCouncilGazaCity.jpg|thumb|The destroyed [[Palestinian Legislative Council]] building in Gaza City, [[Gaza–Israel conflict]], September 2009]]

On 24 September 2009, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu said Iran poses a threat to the peace of the world and that it is incumbent on the world body to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.<ref name="un-1">{{cite news |title=Netanyahu speech / PM slams Gaza probe, challenges UN to confront Iran |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-speech-pm-slams-gaza-probe-challenges-un-to-confront-iran-1.7301 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=24 September 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref><ref name="un-2">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3781710,00.html|title=PM to UN: Iran fueled by fundamentalism|date=24 September 2009|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=24 September 2009}}</ref> Waving the blueprints for Auschwitz and invoking the memory of his own family members murdered by the Nazis, Netanyahu delivered a passionate and public riposte to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's questioning of the Holocaust, asking: "Have you no shame?"<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel's Netanyahu hits back at Iran's Holocaust claims |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Israels-Netanyahu-hits-back-at-Irans-Holocaust-claims/tabid/417/articleID/122747/Default.aspx |newspaper=3 News |date=25 September 2009 |accessdate=1 March 2013}}</ref>

In response to pressure from the Obama administration urging the sides to resume peace talks, on 25 November 2009 Netanyahu announced a partial 10 month settlement construction freeze plan. The announced partial freeze had no significant effect on actual settlement construction, according to an analysis by the major Israeli daily [[Haaretz]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Haaretz |date=27 November 2009 |title=Analysis: Settlers Have Been Working for Months to Undermine Construction Freeze, Situation on the Ground Suggests that There Will Be Nearly No Change in Settlement Construction |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/analysis-settlers-have-been-working-for-months-to-undermine-construction-freeze-1.3310 }}</ref> U.S. special envoy George Mitchell said, "while the United States shares Arab concerns about the limitations of Israel's gesture, it is more than any Israeli government has ever done".<ref>{{cite news |title=US Welcomes Israeli Settlement Move, Urges Palestinians to Enter Negotiations |first=David |last=Gollust |url=http://www.voanews.com/content/us-welcomes-israeli-settlement-move-urges-palestinians-to-enter-negotiations-73905167/415919.html |newspaper=Voice of America |date=25 November 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> In his announcement Netanyahu called the move "a painful step that will encourage the peace process" and urged the Palestinians to respond.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cabinet votes on 10-month building freeze |first=Roni |last=Sofer |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3810640,00.html |newspaper=Ynetnews |date=25 November 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> The Palestinians rejected the call, stating the gesture was "insignificant" in that thousands of recently approved settlement buildings in the West Bank would continue to be built and there would be no freeze of settlement activity in East Jerusalem.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20091126-palestinans-reject-israeli-partial-settlement-freeze-offer|title=Palestinians reject Netanyahu's offer of partial settlement freeze|date=26 November 2009|publisher=[[France 24]]|accessdate=14 December 2009}}</ref>

In March 2010, Israel's government approved construction of an additional 1,600 apartments in a large Jewish housing development in northern East Jerusalem called [[Ramat Shlomo]]<ref name="jp2010-03-14">{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=170912|title='We'll prevent future embarrassments'|date=14 March 2010|publisher=The Jerusalem Post|accessdate=17 March 2010}}</ref> despite the position of the current U.S. Government that acts such as this thwart the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The Israeli government's announcement occurred during a visit by U.S. Vice-President [[Joe Biden]] and the U.S. government subsequently issued a strongly worded condemnation of the plan.<ref name="t2010-03-16">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7062808.ece|title=Anger in Ramat Shlomo as settlement row grows|date=16 March 2010|work=The Times |location=London |accessdate=16 March 2010 |first1=Sheera | last1=Frenkel}}</ref> Netanyahu subsequently issued a statement that all previous Israeli governments had continuously permitted construction in the neighborhood, and that certain neighborhoods such as Ramat Shlomo and [[Gilo]] have always been included as part of Israel in any final agreement plan that has been proposed by either side to date.<ref name="jp2010-03-14"/> Netanyahu regretted the timing of the announcement but asserted that "our policy on Jerusalem is the same policy followed by all Israeli governments for the 42 years, and it has not changed."<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu and Obama to meet Tuesday in Washington |first1=Barak |last1=Ravid |first2=Natasha |last2=Mozgovaya |first3=Jack |last3=Khoury |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-and-obama-to-meet-tuesday-in-washington-1.265096 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=21 March 2010 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Clinton Netanyahu Abbas Mitchell 2 Sep 2010.jpg|thumb|Netanyahu, [[Hillary Clinton]], [[George J. Mitchell]] and [[Mahmoud Abbas]] at the start of the [[Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians (2010-2011)|direct talks]] on 2 September 2010]]
In September 2010, Netanyahu agreed to enter [[Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians in 2010|direct talks]], mediated by the [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]], with the Palestinians for the first time in a long while.<ref name="ap090110">{{cite news |title=Mideast peace talks open to qualified optimism |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38948469/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/ |newspaper=NBCNews.com |date=1 September 2010 |accessdate=6 March 2013}}</ref> The ultimate aim of these direct talks is to forge the framework of an official "final status settlement" to the [[Israeli-Palestinian conflict]] by forming a [[two-state solution]] for the [[Jewish people]] and the [[Palestinian people]]. On 27 September, the 10-month settlement freeze ended, and the Israeli government approved new construction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.<ref>{{cite news |title=U.S. pushes talks as Israel resumes settlement building |first1=Jill |last1=Dougherty |first2=Elise |last2=Labott |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/27/us.mideast.peace.talks/index.html |newspaper=CNN |date=27 September 2010 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> On retiring from office in July 2011, former U.S. Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]] had said that Netanyahu was ungrateful to the United States and endangering Israel. Responding, the Likud party defended Netanyahu by saying that most Israelis supported the Prime Minister and that he had broad support in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |title=Likud defends Netanyahu after report Gates called him 'ungrateful' |first1=Barak |last1=Ravid |first2=Eli |last2=Ashkenazi |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/likud-defends-netanyahu-after-report-gates-called-him-ungrateful-1.382875 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=6 September 2011 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Gates called Netanyahu an ungrateful ally to U.S. and a danger to Israel' |first=Barak |last=Ravid |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/gates-called-netanyahu-an-ungrateful-ally-to-u-s-and-a-danger-to-israel-1.382828 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=6 September 2011 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

In 2011, [[2011 Israeli social justice protests|social justice protests]] broke out across Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people protested Israel's high cost of living throughout the country. In response, Netanyahu appointed the [[Trajtenberg Committee]], headed by professor [[Manuel Trajtenberg]], to examine the problems and propose solutions. The committee submitted recommendations to lower the high cost of living in September 2011.<ref>{{cite press release |title=The recommendations of the Trajtenberg Committee were submitted today to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance |url=http://www.financeisrael.mof.gov.il/FinanceIsrael/Docs/En/pressReleases/20110927.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Finance |date=27 September 2011 |accessdate=27 January 2012}}</ref> Although Netanyahu promised to push the proposed reforms through the cabinet in one piece, differences inside his coalition resulted in the reforms being gradually adopted.<ref>{{cite news |author=Moti Bassok and Jonathan Lis |title=Netanyahu strikes deal with Yisrael Beiteinu to approve Trajtenberg report |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/netanyahu-strikes-deal-with-yisrael-beiteinu-to-approve-trajtenberg-report-1.388958 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=9 October 2011 |accessdate=27 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Avi Bar-Eli, Meirav Arlosoroff and Ora Coren |title=Despite PM's promises, most Trajtenberg recommendations may never become law |url=http://english.themarker.com/despite-pm-s-promises-most-trajtenberg-recommendations-may-never-become-law-1.395637 |newspaper=The Marker - Haaretz |date=15 November 2011 |accessdate=27 January 2012}}</ref>

In 2012, Netanyahu initially planned to call early elections, but subsequently oversaw the creation of a controversial government of national unity to see Israel through until the national elections of 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/in-surprise-move-netanyahu-mofaz-agree-to-form-unity-government-cancel-early-elections-1.428843 |title= In surprise move, Netanyahu, Mofaz agree to form unity government, cancel early elections |last1= Lis |first1= Jonathan |last2= Bar-Zohar |first2= Ophir |date= 8 May 2012 |newspaper= Haaretz |accessdate=9 May 2012 }}</ref> In May 2012, Netanyahu officially recognized for the first time the right for Palestinians to have their own state, though as before<ref name = "Hatz 14Jun2009"/> he declared it would have to be demilitarized.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-pledges-to-establish-demilitarized-palestinian-state/ |title= PM promises Abbas a demilitarized Palestinian state |last1= Winer |first1= Stuart |last2= Ahren |first2= Raphael |date= 14 May 2012 |newspaper= The Times of Israel |accessdate=14 May 2012 }}</ref> On 25 October 2012, Netanyahu and Foreign Minister [[Avigdor Lieberman]] announced that their respective political parties, [[Likud]] and [[Yisrael Beiteinu]], had merged and would run together on a single ballot in Israel's 22 January 2013 general elections.<ref>{{cite web|last=Leshem|first=Elie|title=Netanyahu, Liberman announce they'll run joint list for Knesset|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-announces-merger-with-israel-beytenu-promises-to-lead-with-strength/|publisher=The Times of Israel|accessdate=27 October 2012}}</ref>

=== Third Premiership: 2013–present ===
{{Further|Thirty-third government of Israel}}
[[File:Secretary Kerry, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Make Press Statements (9760738442).jpg|thumb|U.S. Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] and Netanyahu, Jerusalem, September 15, 2013]]
The [[Israeli legislative election, 2013|2013 election]] returned Netanyahu's [[Likud Yisrael Beiteinu]] coalition with 11 fewer seats than the combined Likud and Yisrael Beitanu parties had going into the vote. Nevertheless, as leader of what remained the largest faction in the Knesset, Israeli president Shimon Peres charged Netanyahu with the task of forming the [[Thirty-third government of Israel]]. The new coalition included the [[Yesh Atid]], [[The Jewish Home]] and [[Hatnuah]] parties and excludes the ultra-Orthodox parties at the insistence of Yesh Atid and the Jewish Home.

During Netanyahu's third term, he continued his policy of economic liberalization. In December 2013, the Knesset approved the Business Concentration Law, which intended to open Israel's highly concentrated economy to competition to lower consumer prices, reduce income inequality, and increase economic growth. Netanyahu had formed the Concentration Committee in 2010, and the bill, which was pushed forward by his government, implemented it's recommendations. The new law banned multi-tiered corporate holding structures, in which a CEO's family members or other affiliated individuals held public companies which in turn owned other public companies, and who were thus able to engage in [[price gouging]]. Under the law, corporations were banned from owning more than two tiers of publicly listed companies, and from holding both financial and non-financial enterprises. All conglomerates were given four to six years to sell excess holdings.<ref>[http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/overhaul-of-israels-economy-offers-lessons-for-united-states/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Overhaul of Israel’s Economy Offers Lessons for United States]</ref><ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/business/1.565986 What is Israel's new Business Concentration Law and why should we care?]</ref> Netanyahu also began a campaign of port privatization to break what he viewed as the monopoly held by workers of the [[Israel Port Authority]], so as to lower consumer prices and increase exports. In July 2013, he issued tenders for the construction of private ports in [[Haifa]] and [[Ashdod]].<ref>[http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-1000859155 Netanyahu: Era of ports monopoly is over]</ref> Netanyahu has also pledged to curb excess bureaucracy and regulations to ease the burden on industry.<ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/business/concentration-in-business/.premium-1.576937 Netanyahu vows to free economy of regulation and bureaucracy]</ref>

In April 2014 Netanyahu voiced major concern when Hamas joined the Palestinian Authority to form a unity government. He began a number of verbal attacks on Hamas leading up to the disappearance of three Israeli teenagers on 12 June 2014. Netanyahu blamed Hamas for what appeared at the time to be an abduction of the young Israelis, and ordered the IDF to conduct an operation to purge Hamas in the West Bank. On 30 June 2014 when the bodies of the three missing teenagers were found he launched major air raids over Gaza. In response to rocket fire from Gaza into Israel [[Operation Protective Edge]] was initiated. The prime minister continued his condemnation of Hamas. Nearly two weeks into the operation he did a round of television shows in the United States, and on CNN described Hamas as "genocidal terrorists." <ref name="IsraelPM">{{cite news|title=Hamas genocidal terrorists says Netanyahu|url=http://www.israelnews.net/index.php/sid/223948551/scat/f81a4d9d561822ee/ht/Hamas-genocidal-terrorists-says-Netanyahu|accessdate=19 July 2014|publisher=''Israel News.Net''}}</ref>

== Political positions ==

=== Oslo Accords ===
Netanyahu opposed the [[Oslo accords]] from their inception. During his term as prime minister in the late 1990s, Netanyahu consistently reneged on commitments made by previous Israeli governments as part of the Oslo peace process, leading American peace envoy [[Dennis Ross]] to note that "neither President Clinton nor Secretary [of State Madeleine] Albright believed that Bibi had any real interest in pursuing peace."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/09/27/us-jewish-groups-help-make-palestinian-state-impossible.html |title=How U.S. Jews Stymie Peace Talks |last=Beinart |first=Peter |date=27 September 2010 |publisher=The Daily Beast |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> In a 2001 video, Netanyahu, reportedly unaware he was being recorded, said: "They asked me before the election if I'd honor [the Oslo Accords]," "I said I would, but&nbsp;... I'm going to interpret the accords in such a way that would allow me to put an end to this galloping forward to the '67 borders. How did we do it? Nobody said what defined military zones were. Defined military zones are security zones; as far as I'm concerned, the entire Jordan Valley is a defined military zone. Go argue."<ref name=washingtonpost>{{cite news|title=Netanyahu: 'America is a thing you can move very easily'|author=Glenn Kessler|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=16 July 2010|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkpoint-washington/2010/07/netanyahu_america_is_a_thing_y.html}}</ref> However, this is clearly consistent with [[Yitzhak Rabin]]'s October 1995 statement to the Knesset on the ratification of the interim Oslo agreement: "B. The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term."<ref name="Rabin1995">{{cite web |url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1990_1999/1995/10/PM+Rabin+in+Knesset-+Ratification+of+Interim+Agree.htm |author=Yitzhak Rabin |date=5 October 1995 |title=Ratification of the Israel-Palestinian Interim Agreement |work=Speech to Knesset |publisher=MFA Library |accessdate=23 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu: to the left of Rabin |url=http://samsonblinded.org/news/netanyahu-to-the-left-of-rabin-2-21374 |newspaper=Israeli Uncensored News |date=11 March 2011 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

=== Prior to second term as Prime Minister ===
[[File:Netanyahu campaign poster.jpg|thumb|One of Netanyahu's campaign posters during the [[Israeli legislative election, 2009|2009 Israeli legislative elections]] which stated that he would be the best choice for [[Economy of Israel|Israel's economy]] and [[Israeli security forces|security]].]]
Netanyahu had previously called U.S.-backed peace talks a waste of time,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032000694_pf.html|first=Howard|last= Schneider|title=Poll Gives Netanyahu Positive Marks Despite Rift with US|work=The Washington Post|date=20 March 2009|accessdate=20 March 2009}}</ref> while at the same time refusing to commit to the same two-state solution as had other Israeli leaders,<ref>{{cite news |title=Why isn't Netanyahu backing two-state solution? |first=Aluf |last=Benn |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/analysis-why-isn-t-netanyahu-backing-two-state-solution-1.271126 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=1 March 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> until a speech in June 2009. He repeatedly made public statements which advocated an "economic peace" approach, meaning an approach based on economic cooperation and joint effort rather than continuous contention over political and diplomatic issues. This is in line with many significant ideas from the [[Peace Valley plan]].<ref name="haaretz 11-21-08">{{cite news |title=Netanyahu: Economics, not politics, is the key to peace |first=Raphael |last=Ahren |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-economics-not-politics-is-the-key-to-peace-1.257617 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=20 November 2008 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> He raised these ideas during discussions with former U.S. Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu offers new peace vision |first=Roni |last=Sofer |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3619204,00.html |newspaper=Ynetnews |date=7 November 2008 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu continued to advocate these ideas as the Israeli elections approached.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/israel/article/netanyahu_holds_big_lead_in_prime_minister_race_polls_20090202/|first=Leslie|last= Susser|title=Netanyahu Holds Big Lead in Prime Minister Race Polls|publisher=The Jewish Journal|date=2 February 2009|accessdate=11 July 2009}}</ref> Netanyahu has said:

<blockquote> Right now, the peace talks are based on only one thing, only on peace talks. It makes no sense at this point to talk about the most contractible issue. It's Jerusalem or bust, or right of return or bust. That has led to failure and is likely to lead to failure again&nbsp;... We must weave an economic peace alongside a political process. That means that we have to strengthen the moderate parts of the Palestinian economy by handing rapid growth in those areas, rapid economic growth that gives a stake for peace for the ordinary Palestinians."<ref name="haaretz 11-21-08"/></blockquote>

In January 2009, prior to the February 2009 Israeli elections Netanyahu informed Middle East envoy Tony Blair that he would continue the policy of the Israeli governments of Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert by expanding settlements in the [[West Bank]], in contravention of the Road Map, but not building new ones.<ref>{{cite news |title=Likud allow settlement expansion |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7851140.stm |newspaper=BBC News |date=26 January 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref>

=== Bar-Ilan Speech ===
On 14 June 2009, Netanyahu delivered a seminal address<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/full-text-of-netanyahu-s-foreign-policy-speech-at-bar-ilan-1.277922|title=Full text of Binyamin Netanyahu's Bar Ilan speech|date=15 June 2009|publisher=[[Haaretz]]|accessdate=15 June 2009}}</ref> at [[Bar-Ilan University]] (also known as "Bar-Ilan Speech"), at [[Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies]], that was broadcast live in Israel and across parts of the [[Arab world]], on the topic of the [[Middle East peace process]]. He endorsed for the first time the notion of a [[Palestinian state]] alongside Israel.<ref name=lays/> Netanyahu's speech could be viewed in part as a response to Obama's [[A New Beginning|4 June speech at Cairo]]. ''[[Yedioth Ahronoth]]'' claimed that Obama's words had "resonated through Jerusalem's corridors".<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3726367,00.html|title=Ministers split over Obama's Cairo speech|date=4 June 2009|accessdate=19 June 2009}}</ref>

As part of his proposal, Netanyahu demanded the full demilitarization of the proposed state, with no army, rockets, missiles, or control of its airspace, and said that [[Jerusalem]] would be [[Positions on Jerusalem|undivided Israeli territory]]. He stated that the Palestinians should recognize Israel as the Jewish national state with an undivided Jerusalem. He rejected a [[Palestinian right of return|right of return]] for Palestinian refugees, saying, "any demand for resettling Palestinian refugees within Israel undermines Israel's continued existence as the state of the Jewish people." He also stated that a complete stop to [[Israeli settlement|settlement building]] in the [[West Bank]], as required by the 2003 [[Road map for peace|Road Map]] peace proposal, was not possible and the expansions will be limited based on the "natural growth" of the population, including immigration, with no new territories taken in. Nevertheless, Netanyahu affirmed that he accepted the Road Map proposal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu's speech: Yes to road map, no to settlement freeze |first1=Barak |last1=Ravid |first2=Aluf |last2=Benn |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-s-speech-yes-to-road-map-no-to-settlement-freeze-1.277711 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=11 June 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> He did not discuss whether or not the settlements should be part of Israel after peace negotiations, simply stating that the "question will be discussed".<ref name=lays>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu wants demilitarized PA state |first=Herb |last=Keinon |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=145486 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |date=14 June 2009 |accessdate=6 March 2013}}</ref>

In a response to U.S. President [[Barack Obama]]'s statements in his [[A New Beginning|Cairo speech]], Netanyahu remarked, "there are those who say that if the Holocaust had not occurred, the State of Israel would never have been established. But I say that if the State of Israel would have been established earlier, the Holocaust would not have occurred." He also said, "this is the homeland of the Jewish people, this is where our identity was forged." He stated that he would be willing to meet with any "Arab leader" for negotiations without preconditions, specifically mentioning [[Syria]], Saudi Arabia, and [[Lebanon]].<ref name=lays/> In general, the address represented a new position for Netanyahu's government on the [[peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict|peace process]].<ref name=huff/>

Some right-wing members of Netanyahu's governing coalition criticized his remarks for the creation of a Palestinian State; believing that all of the land should become under Israeli sovereignty. [[Likud]] [[Knesset|MK]] [[Danny Danon]] said that Netanyahu went "against the Likud platform",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3731827,00.html|title=Netanyahu defends speech to party hardliners|last=Sofer|first=Roni|date=15 June 2009|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref> while [[Knesset|MK]] [[Uri Orbakh]] of [[Habayit Hayehudi]] said that it had "dangerous implications".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3731290,00.html|title=Likud members say PM gave in to US pressure|date=14 June 2009|publisher=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref> Opposition party [[Kadima]] leader [[Tzipi Livni]] remarked after the address that she thinks Netanyahu does not really believe in the [[two-state solution]] at all; she thought that he only said what he did as a feigned response to international pressure.<ref name=Livni>{{cite news |title=Livni: Netanyahu doesn't believe in two-state solution |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/livni-netanyahu-doesn-t-believe-in-two-state-solution-1.279472 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=7 July 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> [[Peace Now]] blasted the speech, highlighting the fact that, in the group's opinion, it did not address the Palestinians as equal partners in the peace process. The Secretary General of [[Peace Now]], Yariv Oppenheimer, said, "It's a rerun of Netanyahu from his first term".<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Peace Now]]|title=Peace Now Response to Bibi Netanyahu's Speech| url=http://www.fmep.org/analysis/analysis/peace-now-response-to-bibi-netanyahus-speech|date=15 June 2009|accessdate=8 July 2009}}</ref>

On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of government meeting Netanyahu repeated his claims from the Palestinians: "We want an agreement with two factors, the first of which is the recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and (the second of which is) a security settlement".<ref name=sofer/>

==== Arab reaction ====
Netanyahu's "Bar-Ilan Speech" provoked mixed reaction from the International community:.<ref name="rfi">{{cite news|url=http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/114/article_4023.asp|title=Netanyahu speech provokes mix of international reactions|date=15 June 2009|publisher=[[Radio France]]|accessdate=16 September 2009}}</ref> The [[Palestinian National Authority]] rejected the conditions on a Palestinian State given by Netanyahu. Senior official [[Saeb Erekat]] said, "Netanyahu's speech closed the door to permanent status negotiations". [[Hamas]] spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said it reflected a "racist and extremist ideology"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3731300,00.html|title=Hamas slams Netanyahu's 'racist, extremist' ideology |date=14 June 2009|work=[[Ynetnews]]|accessdate=11 August 2009}}</ref> and called on Arab nations to "form stronger opposition".<ref name=huff>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/14/netanyahu-peace-speech-is_n_215337.html|title=Netanyahu Peace Speech: Israeli Prime Minister Appeals To Arab Leaders For Peace|date=14 June 2009|accessdate=14 June 2009|first=Josef|last=Federman|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref> [[Palestinian Islamic Jihad]] labeled it "misleading" and, like [[Hamas]], demanded stronger opposition to Israel from Arab nations.<ref name=xin>{{cite news|publisher=Xinhua News Agency|title=Netanyahu's speech vexes Arabs|author1=Muhammad Yamany|author2=Chen Gongzheng| url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/16/content_11548122.htm|date=15 June 2009|accessdate=16 June 2009}}</ref> According to [[The Jerusalem Post]], some leaders advocated a third intifada in response to the speech.<ref name=lays/> The [[Arab League]] dismissed the address, declaring in a statement that "Arabs would not make concessions regarding issues of Jerusalem and refugees" and that "we know his history and style of evasion", adding that the Arab League would not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.<ref name=xin/> Referring to Netanyahu's demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, Egypt's [[President of Egypt|president]] [[Hosni Mubarak]] remarked, "You won't find anyone to answer that call in Egypt, or in any other place." Issuing a less blunt response, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that the speech was "not complete" and that it hoped for another, "different Israeli proposal which is built on the commitment to the two-state solution".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/palestinians-condemn-neta_n_215527.html|title=Palestinians Condemn Netanyahu Speech (VIDEO)|date=15 June 2009|accessdate=15 June 2009|first=Stewart|last=Whatley|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/syria-netanyahu-s-policy-has-everything-but-peace-1.278102 | title=Syria: Netanyahu's policy has everything but peace | work=Haaretz | date=15 June 2009 | accessdate=<!-- 26 May 2011 --> }}</ref> [[Media of Syria|Syrian state media]] condemned the speech and wrote that "Netanyahu has confirmed that he rejects the Arab peace initiative for peace along with all the initiatives and resolutions of the Security Council to relative peace."<ref name=rfi/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=145545|title=PM calls Mubarak to clarify stance|date=16 June 2009|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|accessdate=17 June 2012}}</ref> [[President of Lebanon|Lebanese President]] [[Michel Suleiman]] called for unity among Arab leaders, saying that "Arab leaders should be more united and preserve the spirit of resistance to face the Israeli stands regarding the peace process and the Palestinian refugee issue." He called on the international community to exert more pressure on the Israeli government to accept the Arab Peace Initiative, as he said Israel still has a will of military confrontation which can be proved in its offensives on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.<ref name=xin/> Jordanian Minister of State for Media affairs and Communications, and Government spokesperson Nabil Sharif issued a statement saying "The ideas presented by Netanyahu do not live up to what was agreed on by the international community as a starting point for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region."<ref name=xin/>

=== Iranian reaction ===
[[President of Iran|Iranian president]] [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] referred to the speech as "bad news".<ref name=rfi/>

==== European Reaction ====
The [[Czech Republic]], which held the presidency of the European Union, praised Netanyahu's address. "In my view, this is a step in the right direction. The acceptance of a Palestinian state was present there," said Czech Foreign Minister [[Jan Kohout]], whose country held the EU's six-month presidency at the time of the speech.<ref name="eu1">{{cite news |title=EU gives cautious welcome to Netanyahu speech |first=Mark |last=John |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/2009/06/15/idINIndia-40333120090615 |newspaper=Reuters |date=15 June 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]]'s [[press secretary]], [[Robert Gibbs]], said that the speech was an "important step forward".<ref name=xin /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/14/white-house-reacts-to-netanyahus-speech/|title=White House reacts to Netanyahu's speech|date=14 June 2009 | publisher=CNN}}</ref> President Obama stated that "this solution can and must ensure both Israel's security and the Palestinians' legitimate aspirations for a viable state".<ref name=rfi/> Swedish Foreign Minister [[Carl Bildt]] stated that "the fact that he uttered the word state is a small step forward". He added that "whether what he mentioned can be defined as a state is a subject of some debate".<ref name=rfi/><ref name=eu1/> France praised the speech but called on Israel to cease building settlements in the West Bank. French Foreign Minister [[Bernard Kouchner]] stated that "I can only welcome the prospect of a Palestinian state outlined by the Israeli Prime Minister."<ref name=rfi/><ref name=eu1/> The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|Foreign Ministry of Russia]] called the speech "a sign of readiness for dialogue" but said that "it does not open up the road to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian problem. The conditions on the Palestinians would be unacceptable."<ref name=rfi/>

=== Stalled peace talks ===
In 2013, Netanyahu denied reports that his government would agree to peace talks on the basis of the green line.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Israel-agrees-to-peace-talks-based-on-67-lines-320250 |title=Netanyahu denies agreeing to peace talks based on '67 lines. |publisher=Jpost.com |date=18 July 2013 |deadurl=no |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref> In 2014 he said that Jewish settlers must be allowed the option of staying in their settlements under Palestinian rule.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/israeli-official-palestine-should-allow-settlers |title=Israeli official: Palestine should allow settlers |last1=HELLER |first1=ARON |date=26 January 2014 |work=Associated Press |accessdate=26 January 2014}}</ref>

=== Unilateral withdrawals ===
On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu promised not to repeat the "mistake" of the [[Israel's unilateral disengagement plan|Gaza unilateral pullout]], saying, "We will not repeat this mistake. We will not create new evacuees", and adding that "the unilateral evacuation brought neither peace nor security. On the contrary", and that "We want an agreement with two factors, the first of which is the recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and [the second is] a security settlement. In the case of Gaza, both of these factors were lacking". He also said, "Should we achieve a turn toward peace with the more moderate partners, we will insist on the recognition of the State of Israel and the demilitarization of the future Palestinian state".<ref name=sofer>{{cite news |last= Sofer|first=Roni|title= Netanyahu vows not to repeat 'mistake' of Gaza pullout |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3759065,00.html |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |date=9 August 2009 |accessdate=9 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu: I won't repeat Gaza evacuation mistake |first=Barak |last=Ravid |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-i-won-t-repeat-gaza-evacuation-mistake-1.281670 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=9 August 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref>

=== Iran ===
{{See also|Iran–Israel relations}}
On 20 February 2009, after being asked to be the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu described Iran as the greatest threat that Israel has ever faced: "Iran is seeking to obtain a nuclear weapon and constitutes the gravest threat to our existence since the war of independence."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5774240.ece|title=Binyamin Netanyahu targets Iran after he is appointed Prime Minister|last1=Byers|first1=David|author2=Hider, James|date=20 February 2009|work=The Times |location=London |accessdate=24 September 2009 }}</ref> Speaking before the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September 2009, Netanyahu expressed a different opinion than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the forum, saying those who believe Tehran is a threat only to Israel are wrong. "The Iranian regime", he said, "is motivated by fanaticism&nbsp;... They want to see us go back to medieval times. The struggle against Iran pits civilization against barbarism. This Iranian regime is fueled by extreme fundamentalism."<ref name=un-1/><ref name=un-2/> "By focusing solely on Iran," columnist [[Yossi Melman]] speculated that Netanyahu's foreign policy, "...&nbsp;took the Palestinian issue off the world agenda." After four days of shelling from the Iranian-funded [[Palestinian Islamic Jihad]], Melman asked, "Is it worth initiating a crisis with Iran? Will the Israeli public be able to cope with Iran's response?"<ref name="Tab 15Mar2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/94134/under-fire/ |title=Under Fire |first=Yossi |last=Melman |date=15 March 2012 |newspaper=Tablet |accessdate=16 March 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Prime Minister and Defense Minister at Weaponry Display.jpg|thumb|left|Standing with [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Israeli Minister of Defense]] [[Ehud Barak]], Netanyahu holds an [[Iran]]ian instruction manual for the [[C-704|anti-ship missile]] captured in [[Victoria Affair]], March 2011]]
Netanyahu is reported to have formed a close, confidential relationship with Defense Minister [[Ehud Barak]] as the two men consider possible Israeli military action against Iran's nuclear facilities.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/world/middleeast/netanyahu-and-barak-bond-over-israels-iran-crisis.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all |title=2 Israeli Leaders Make the Iran Issue Their Own |last=Bonner |first=Ethan |publisher=New York Times |date=28 March 2012 |accessdate=28 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/R42443.pdf |title=Israel: Possible Strike Against Iran's Nuclear Facilities |publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] |date=28 September 2012 |accessdate=2 October 2012}}</ref> The pair were accused of acting on "messianic" impulses by Yuval Diskin, former head of the [[Shin Bet]], who added that their warmongering rhetoric appealed to "the idiots within the Israeli public".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-intelligence-chief-diskin-says-netanyahu-barak-not-fit-to-lead-israel-and-wrong-on-iran/ |title= Netanyahu, Barak 'not fit to lead Israel' and wrong on Iran |last= Shmulovich |first= Michael |date= 28 April 2012 |newspaper= The Times of Israel |accessdate=29 April 2012 }}</ref> Diskin's remarks were supported by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.timesofisrael.com/olmert-opposes-iran-strike/ |title= Olmert opposes strike on Iranian nuclear program |date= 25 April 2012 |agency= Associated Press |newspaper= [[The Times of Israel]] |accessdate=30 April 2012 |quote= Meir Dagan, Israel's ex-Mossad chief, told the station he supported Diskin. }}</ref> who himself had previously said that an attack on Iran was "the stupidest thing I have ever heard".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/former-mossad-chief-israel-air-strike-on-iran-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-1.360367 |title= Former Mossad chief: Israel air strike on Iran 'stupidest thing I have ever heard' |author= Yossi Melman |date= 7 May 2011 |newspaper= [[Haaretz]] |accessdate=28 April 2012 }}</ref> A few weeks later, the [[RAND Corporation]] (a leading American [[think tank]] that advises the [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]]) also openly disagreed with Netanyahu's belligerent stance: "In doing so, and without naming names, RAND sided with former Mossad chief Meir Dagan and former head of the Shin Bet Yuval Diskin."<ref>{{cite news |title=Top U.S. think tank warns against Israeli, American strike on Iran |first=Amir |last=Oren |url=http://www.haaretz.com/misc/iphone-article/top-u-s-think-tank-warns-against-israeli-american-strike-on-iran.premium-1.430697 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=16 May 2012 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref>

In an 8 March 2007 interview with [[CNN]], Netanyahu asserted that there is only one difference between Nazi Germany and the Islamic Republic of Iran, namely that the first entered a worldwide conflict and then sought atomic weapons, while the latter is first seeking atomic weapons and, once it has them, will then start a world war. Netanyahu repeated these remarks at a news conference in April 2008.<ref name=Haaretz16042008>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/975574.html|title=Report: Netanyahu says 9/11 terror attacks good for Israel|work=[[Haaretz]]|date=16 April 2008|accessdate=29 July 2009 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/66nQcl1gX | archivedate=9 April 2012}}</ref> This was similar to earlier remarks that "...&nbsp;it's 1938, and Iran is Germany, and Iran is racing to arm itself with [[atomic bombs]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/787766.html|first=Peter |last= Hirschberg|title=Netanyahu: It's 1938 and Iran is Germany; Ahmadinejad is preparing another Holocaust|work=[[Haaretz]]|date=14 November 2006|accessdate=29 July 2009 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/66nPeMnKz |archivedate=9 April 2012}}</ref> In 2012, he used the opening ceremony for Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day to warn against the dangers of an Iranian nuclear bomb, saying he was following the example of Jewish leaders during World War II who struggled to raise the alarm about the Nazis' genocidal intentions.<ref name = "SaSe 18Apr2012">{{cite news |url= http://www.timesofisrael.com/warning-of-iranian-threat-is-the-best-way-to-honor-holocaust-victims/ |title= PM: 'Warning of Iranian threat is best way to honor Holocaust victims{{'-}} |last= Ser |first= Sam |date= 18 April 2012 |newspaper= The Times of Israel |accessdate=18 April 2012 }}</ref> Israeli academic [[Avner Cohen]] accused Netanyahu of showing "contempt" for the Holocaust by putting it to "political use",<ref name="AC 19Mar2012">{{cite news |url= http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/netanyahu-s-contempt-for-the-holocaust-1.419462 |title= Netanyahu's contempt for the Holocaust |author= Avner Cohen |authorlink= Avner Cohen |date= 19 March 2012 |newspaper= [[Haaretz]] |accessdate=31 March 2012 }}</ref> and former Israeli foreign minister [[Shlomo Ben-Ami]] similarly condemned Netanyahu's "vulgar manipulation of the memory of the Holocaust".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/iran-s-nuclear-grass-eaters |title= Iran's Nuclear Grass Eaters |author= Shlomo Ben-Ami |date= 4 April 2012 |publisher= Project Syndicate |accessdate=5 April 2012 }}</ref> Immediately after the [[2012 Burgas bus bombing]], Netanyahu confirmed that the attack had been undertaken in coordination with Iran.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu: Hezbollah, directed by Iran, carried out Burgas terror attack |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-hezbollah-directed-by-iran-carried-out-burgas-terror-attack/ |newspaper=The Times of Israel |date=19 July 2012 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref>

Netanyahu stated during a 29 July meeting that, in his opinion, "all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian programme by one iota."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/international/30-Jul-2012/iran-unmoved-by-curbs-says-netanyahu|publisher=''The Pakistani Nation''|date=30 July 2012|accessdate=30 July 2012|title=Iran unmoved by curbs, says Netanyahu}}</ref> And in August he stated that the United States only might respond to a massive attack against Israel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/diplomania/netanyahu-if-israel-attacks-iran-i-will-take-responsibility-for-the-consequences-1.455853 |title=Netanyahu: If Israel attacks Iran, I will take responsibility for the consequences |last=Ravid |first=Barak |date=3 August 2012 |publisher=Haaretz |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> On 28 September 2012, Netanyahu gave a speech to the UN General Assembly in which he set forward a "red line" of 90% uranium enrichment, stating that if Iran were to reach this level, it would become an intolerable risk for Israel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu: Red Line is when Iran Reaches 90% of Enriched Uranium |first=Gil |last=Ronen |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/160353 |newspaper=Arutz Sheva |date=27 September 2012 |accessdate=6 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu used a cartoon graphic of a bomb to illustrate his point, indicating three stages of uranium enrichment, noting that Iran had already completed the first stage, and stating that "By next spring, at most by next summer at current enrichment rates, [Iran] will have finished the medium enrichment and move on to the final stage. From there, it's only a few months, possibly a few weeks before they get enough enriched uranium for the first bomb." Netanyahu delivered his speech the day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, a presentation that the American, Canadian, and Israeli delegations had deliberately not attended.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/iranian_president_mahmoud_ahmadinejad_DXf1O2jwAyigpohPdmdgTO|date=26 September 2012|accessdate=28 September 2012|title=Ahmadinejad blasts US, Israel in UN speech boycotted by Western diplomats|work=New York Post}}</ref>

In an October 2013 interview with BBC Persian Service, Netanyahu praised the history of Persia and said: "if the Iranian regime has nuclear weapons, the Iranian people will never be free of dictatorship and will live in eternal servitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.netanyahu.org.il/en/news/686-pm-netanyahu-is-interviewed-for-the-first-time-in-the-persian-language-media|date=3 October 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007122509/http://netanyahu.org.il/en/news/686-pm-netanyahu-is-interviewed-for-the-first-time-in-the-persian-language-media|archivedate=7 October 2013|title=PM Netanyahu is Interviewed for the First Time in the Persian-language Media |work=The Prime Minister of Israel Official Website}}</ref>

=== Jonathan Pollard ===
Netanyahu has repeatedly called for the release of [[Jonathan Pollard]], an American serving a [[life sentence]] for passing secret U.S. documents to Israel.<ref name=nydn /> Netanyahu has called for his release over the course of several presidential administrations.<ref name=nydn>http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1999/01/19/1999-01-19_netanyahu_and_foe_tangle_ove.html</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/20/israel-spy-release-settlement-freeze |location=London |work=The Guardian |first1=Chris | last1=McGreal | first2=Rachel | last2=Shabi | title=Israel seeks release of spy in exchange for extending settlement freeze | date=20 September 2010}}</ref> He raised the issue at the [[Wye River (Maryland)|Wye River]] Summit in 1998, where he claimed that U.S. President Bill Clinton had privately agreed to release Pollard; Clinton denied the assertion.<ref>Ross, Dennis. ''Statecraft: And How to Restore America's Standing in the World''. 2008, page 213</ref><ref>Clinton, Bill. ''My Life: The Presidential Years''. 2005, page 468</ref> In 2002, Netanyahu visited Pollard at his [[North Carolina]] prison.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netanyahu.org/forpmnetvisp.html |title=Former PM Netanyahu Visits Pollard In Prison |publisher=Netanyahu.org |accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Mozgovaya |first=Natasha |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-to-formally-call-for-release-of-convicted-spy-jonathan-pollard-1.331860 |title=Netanyahu to formally call for release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard – Haaretz Daily Newspaper &#124; Israel News |work=Haaretz |location=Israel |accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref> The Israeli Prime Minister maintains contact with Pollard's wife, and has been active in pressing the Obama administration to release Pollard.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gordon |first=Evelyn |url=http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=221407 |title=Netanyahu reassures Esther Pollar&nbsp;... JPost – Diplomacy & Politics |work=Jerusalem Post |date=19 May 2011 |accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref><ref name=lettertoobama>{{cite web|last=Lis |first=Jonathan |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-s-plea-to-obama-release-jonathan-pollard-1.335262 |title=Netanyahu's plea to Obama: Release Jonathan Pollard – Haaretz Daily Newspaper &#124; Israel News |work=Haaretz |location=Israel |date=9 November 2010 |accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref> Netanyahu has characterized Pollard as "a warmhearted Jew, proud and a real Zionist."<ref name=lettertoobama />

=== Bank of China Terror Financing Case ===

In 2013, Netanyahu found himself caught between conflicting commitments made to the family of American terror victim [[Death of Daniel Wultz|Daniel Wultz]] and the Government of China. Although Netanyahu was reported to have previously promised U.S. Representative [[Ileana Ros-Lehtinen]] that Israel would fully cooperate in the terror financing case against Bank of China in U.S. District Court, the prime minister reportedly made a conflicting promise to the Government of China prior to a state visit to China in May 2013.<ref name=slate>{{cite web|last=Loeffler|first=James| url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/02/wultz_vs_bank_of_china_daniel_wultz_parents_attempt_to_use_domestic_courts.html | title=Uncivil Damages: American victims of terrorism are suing a Chinese bank. Israel is trying to stop them – Slate |work=Slate.com |location=New York |date=13 February 2014 |accessdate=13 February 2014}}</ref> Attorney [[David Boies]], lead counsel for the Wultz family, told the Wall Street Journal, "While we are respectful of China’s interests, and of the diplomatic pressure to which Israel has been subjected, those interests and that pressure cannot be permitted to obstruct the ability of American courts to hear critical evidence.”<ref name=davidboies>{{cite web|last=Balmer |first=Crispian |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/17/israel-china-case-idUSL6N0JW2EQ20131217 | title=U.S. court urged to reject Israeli attempt to silence witness – Reuters |work=Reuters |location=Jerusalem |date=17 December 2014 |accessdate=17 December 2014}}</ref><ref name=arutzsheva>{{cite web|last= |first= |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170191#.U2bwZK1kE9Y| title=Families Urge PM: Don’t Give Into Terror – Arutz Sheva |work=Arutz Sheva |location=Miami |date=23 July 2013 |accessdate=17 July 2013}}</ref>

In August 2013, Ros-Lehtinen, chair of the House Middle East and South Asia subcommittee, told the Miami Herald she raised the issue while leading a congressional delegation to Israel, stressing to Israeli officials the importance of them providing the Wultz family what they need for their lawsuit.<ref name=miamiherald>{{cite web|last=Benn |first=Evan |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/22/3580282/weston-family-faces-frustration.html | title=Weston family faces frustration of court fight after grief of terror bombing – Miami Herald |work=Miami Herald |location=Miami |date=22 August 2013 |accessdate=22 August 2013}}</ref> “I am hopeful that we can bring this case to a conclusion that is satisfactory to the family, but we need community support to not waver at this critical time,” Ros-Lehtinen said.<ref name=miamiherald/>

U.S. Representative [[Debbie Wasserman Schultz]], chair of the [[Democratic National Committee]], also spoke out on the issue with the Miami Herald: “In South Florida, we all know too well of the tragic circumstances surrounding the cowardly terrorist attack that took [[Death of Daniel Wultz|Daniel Wultz’s]] innocent life. I have been working, hand in hand with the Wultz family and the state of Israel to ensure any and all of those involved in this terrorist activity, including the Bank of China, pay for their crimes so that justice can be served.”<ref name=miamiherald/>

=== Defense and security ===
[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Gilad Shalit Salutes Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.jpg|thumb|Netanyahu welcoming [[Gilad Shalit]] after [[Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange|his release]] from [[Hamas]] captivity]]
Since 2009, an estimated 60,000 illegal [[Illegal immigration from Africa to Israel|immigrants]] from various African countries have crossed into Israel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel to jail illegal migrants for up to three years |first=Allyn |last=Fisher-Ilan |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/03/uk-israel-immigrants-idUKBRE8520DX20120603 |newspaper=Reuters |date=3 June 2012 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu said that "This phenomenon is very grave and threatens the social fabric of society, our national security and our national identity."<ref>"[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/20/israel-netanyahu-african-immigrants-jewish Israel PM: illegal African immigrants threaten identity of Jewish state]". ''The Guardian.'' 20 May 2012.</ref> In 2011, Netanyahu arranged for 1000 prisoners to be [[Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange|swapped]] for [[Gilad Shalit]], including terrorists with "blood on their hands."<ref>{{cite news |title=Hamas: Israel Crossed its Own Red Lines |first=Gabe |last=Kahn |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148897 |newspaper=Arutz Sheva |date=18 October 2011 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> Israeli officials estimate that 60% of those who are released "resume terrorism attacks".<ref>{{cite news |title=Gilad Shalit Release: Israel's Joy Tempered by Memories of an Intifadeh |first=Karl |last=Vick |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2097192,00.html |newspaper=Time |date=18 October 2011 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref>

In 2011, Israeli General Staff concluded that the armed forces cannot maintain their battle readiness under Netanyahu's proposed cuts.<ref>Harel, Amos. [http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/idf-battle-readiness-to-suffer-if-budget-cut-senior-officers-warn-1.389238?localLinksEnabled=false "IDF battle readiness to suffer if budget cut, senior officers warn."] ''Haaretz Newspaper'', 11 October 2011.</ref> However Netanyahu decided to cut social programs instead, and promised to increase the defense budget by about six percent.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu decides not to cut Israel's defense budget in 2012 |first=Moti |last=Bassok |url=http://www.haaretz.com/business/netanyahu-decides-not-to-cut-israel-s-defense-budget-in-2012-1.403639 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=26 December 2011 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Israel to increase defence budget by $700m |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/01/20121961921721933.html |newspaper=Al Jazeera English |date=9 January 2012 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> In spite of this, the Israeli military still fell NIS 3.7 million short from its projected budget, which could damage their war capabilities.<ref>Harel, Amos. [http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/idf-to-ground-warplanes-freeze-iron-dome-production-over-budget-woes-1.412441?localLinksEnabled=false "IDF to ground warplanes, freeze Iron Dome production over budget woes."] ''Haaretz Newspaper''. 12 February 2012.</ref> According to a U.S. State Department representative in November 2011, under the leadership of Netanyahu and Obama, Israel and the United States have enjoyed unprecedented security cooperation.<ref>Shapiro, Andrew J. [http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rm/176684.htm "Ensuring Israel's Qualitative Military Edge."] U.S. State Department, 4 November 2011.</ref>

Under Netanyahu's leadership, the Israeli [[National Security Council (Israel)|National Security Council]] has seen an expanded role in foreign policy planning and decision-making.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/inside-israels-white-house-how-netanyahu-runs-the-country/|title=Inside Israel's White House: How Netanyahu runs the country|author=Haviv Rettig Gur|date=6 January 2014|work=[[The Times of Israel]]|accessdate=6 January 2014}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

=== Family ===
<center>
{{family tree/start}}
{{family tree | | | | | | | NM |y| SL |NM=[[Nathan Mileikowsky]]<br />(1879–1935)<br />''Writer, [[Zionist]] activist'' |SL=Sarah Lurie}}
{{family tree | | | | | | | |,|-|^|-|.}}
{{family tree | | | TS |y| BN | | EN |y| SS |TS=Tzila Segal<br />(1912–2000) |BN=[[Benzion Netanyahu]]<br />(1910–2012)<br />''Historian'' |EN=[[Elisha Netanyahu]]<br />(1912–1986)<br />''Mathematician'' |SS=[[Shoshana Netanyahu|Shoshana Shenburg]]<br />(1923–)<br />''[[Supreme Court of Israel|Supreme Court]] justice''}}
{{family tree | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |!}}
{{family tree | YN | | BN | | IN | | NN |YN=[[Yonatan Netanyahu]]<br />(1946–1976)<br />''Military Commander'' |BN='''Benjamin Netanyahu'''<br />(1949–)<br />''[[Prime Minister of Israel]]'' |IN=[[Iddo Netanyahu]]<br />(1952–)<br />''Physician, playwright'' |NN=[[Nathan Netanyahu]]<br />(1951–)<br />''Computer scientist''}}
{{family tree/end}}
</center>

Related to the [[Vilna Gaon|Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna (the Vilna Gaon)]] on his paternal side,<ref>{{cite book|last=Tidhar|first=David|title=Entsiklopediyah le-halutse ha-yishuv u-vonav|location=Tel-Aviv|year=1947|page=v.1, pp.186–187}}</ref> Netanyahu was born in [[Tel Aviv]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netanyahu.org/biography.html|title=Biography: Benjamin Netanyahu|publisher=Likud website|accessdate=15 September 2009}}</ref> to [[Benzion Netanyahu]] (original name Mileikowsky) and Cela (Tsilah; née Segal). His mother was born in 1912 in [[Petah Tikva]], part of the future [[British Mandate of Palestine]] that eventually became [[Israel]]. Though all his grandparents were born in the [[Russian Empire]] (now [[Belarus]], Lithuania and Poland), his mother's parents emigrated to [[Minneapolis]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ronn |first=J. Michoel |title=The Dworskys of Lazdei: The History of a Lithuanian Jewish family from the mid-1700s until the Present |location=Brooklyn, NY |year=1990 |url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009184440 |deadurl=no |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - P.M. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU LIGHTING HANUKA CANDLES WITH HIS WIFE AND SONS.jpg|thumb|Netanyahu lighting [[Hanukkah]] [[Menorah (Hanukkah)|candles]] on the first night in the [[Beit Aghion|Prime Minister's office]] in [[Jerusalem]] with his wife, [[Sara Netanyahu|Sara]] and their sons, Yair and Avner, 1996]]

Netanyahu's father, [[Benzion Netanyahu|Benzion]], was a professor of [[Jewish history]] at [[Cornell University]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Brand | first=David | title= Lehman leads CU group into the desert to promote education – and peace |url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/features/BTR/BTR_cover.html |publisher=[[Cornell University]] |date=9 March 2004 |accessdate=5 August 2009}}</ref> editor of the [[Encyclopaedia Hebraica]], and a senior aide to [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]], who remained active in research and writing into his nineties. Regarding the [[Palestinian people]], he stated: "That they won't be able to face [anymore] the war with us, which will include withholding food from Arab cities, preventing education, terminating electrical power and more. They won't be able to exist, and they will run away from here. But it all depends on the war, and whether we will win the battles with them."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART1/874/524.html |title=אביו של נתניהו: הוא לא היה רה"מ מוצלח |date=2 April 2009 |publisher=Maariv |language=Hebrew |accessdate=19 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu has dismissed those who note similarities between his relentlessly hawkish views and those of his late father as "psychobabble". For example, David Remnick has written: "To understand Bibi, you have to understand the father."<ref name = "NYT obit">{{cite news |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/world/middleeast/benzion-netanyahu-dies-at-102.html |title= Benzion Netanyahu, Hawkish Scholar, Dies at 102 |last= Martin |first= Douglas |date= 30 April 2012 |publisher= NYTimes.com |accessdate=1 May 2012 }}</ref>

Netanyahu's paternal grandfather was Rabbi Natan Mileikowsky, a leading [[Religious Zionist]] rabbi and [[Jewish National Fund|JNF]] fundraiser.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://zoa.makeitallwork.com/2009/04/102450-the-maggid-of-netanyahu/ |title=The Maggid of Netanyahu |last=Alpert |first=Zalman |date=29 April 2009 |publisher=Zionist Organization of America |accessdate=6 March 2013}}</ref> Netanyahu's older brother, [[Yonatan Netanyahu|Yonatan]], was killed in [[Uganda]] during [[Operation Entebbe]] in 1976. His younger brother, [[Iddo Netanyahu|Iddo]], is a radiologist and writer. All three brothers served in the [[Sayeret Matkal]] reconnaissance unit of the [[Israel Defense Forces]].

Netanyahu's first marriage was to Miriam Weizmann, who he met in Israel. Weizmann lived near Yonatan Netanyahu's Jerusalem apartment, where Netanyahu was based during his military service. By the time Netanyahu's service was finished, Weizmann had completed her own military service and a degree in chemistry from the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]]. In 1972, they both left to study in the United States, where she enrolled in [[Brandeis University]] while Netanyahu studied at MIT. They married soon afterward. The couple had one daughter, Noa (born 29 April 1978). In 1978, while Weizmann was pregnant, Netanyahu met a British woman named Fleur Cates at the university library, and began an affair. His marriage ended in divorce soon afterward, when his wife Miriam discovered the affair. In 1981, Netanyahu married Cates, and she [[conversion to Judaism|converted to Judaism]], but the couple divorced in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hoffman |first=Gil |url=http://www.jpost.com/National-News/MKs-slam-Netanyahu-for-letting-son-date-gentile-339416 |title=MKs slam Netanyahu over his son dating a non-Jewish Norwegian woman |publisher=Jpost.com |date=26 January 2014 |deadurl=no |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref> In 1991 Netanyahu married his third wife, [[Sara Netanyahu|Sara Ben-Artzi]], a psychology major working as a [[flight attendant]], whom he met while traveling on an [[El Al]] flight from New York to Israel.<ref name=bio/><ref name=toi>[http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-women/ Netanyahu's Women] - Times of Israel</ref> The couple has two sons: Yair, a [[Corporal]] in the [[IDF Spokesperson's Unit]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Benjamin Netanyahu's son gets new IDF PR job |first=Li-or |last=Averbach |url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000637256&fid=1725 |newspaper=Globes |date=10 April 2011 |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> and Avner, a national Bible champion and winner of the prestigious National Bible Quiz for Youth in [[Kiryat Shmona]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gordon |first=Evelyn |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=171175 |title=Netanyahu Jr. wins National Bible Quiz – JPost – Israel |publisher=JPost |date=17 March 2010 |accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref>

In 1993, Netanyahu confessed on live television to having had an affair with Ruth Bar, his public relations adviser, claiming that a political rival had planted a secret video camera that had recorded him in a sexually compromising position with Bar, and that he had been threatened with the release of the tape to the press unless he quit the Likud leadership race. The crisis eventually subsided, with Benjamin and Sara repairing their marriage, and Netanyahu was elected. However, in 1996, reports emerged of his "close" 20-year friendship with Katherine Price-Mondadori, a married Italian-American woman.<ref name=toi/>

Sara Netanyahu has been the defendant of numerous lawsuits filed by former housekeepers, alleging abuse and underpayment.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135550|title=Sarah Netanyahu: Lawsuit by Maid is 'Pack of Lies'|date=17 January 2010|publisher=[[Arutz Sheva]]|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> Netanyahu became a grandfather on 1 October 2009, when his daughter Noa Netanyahu-Roth (married to Daniel Roth) gave birth to a boy, Shmuel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mazel Tov Mr. Prime Minister! Netanyahu's first grandson born |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/mazel-tov-mr-prime-minister-netanyahu-s-first-grandson-born-1.6885 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=1 October 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Photo Essay: Netanyahu's Grandson Named |first=Maayana |last=Miskin |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133763 |newspaper=Arutz Sheva |date=8 October 2009 |accessdate=16 March 2013}}</ref> In 2011, Noa and her husband Daniel had a second son named David.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ronen |first=Gil |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/146648 |title=Netanyahu Grandson Born – Inside Israel – News |publisher=Israel National News |accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref>

=== Relations with foreign leaders ===
Former [[President of France|French president]] [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] and Netanyahu originally became acquainted when Sarkozy was the mayor of [[Neuilly-sur-Seine]], after an introduction by a mutual friend. The two used to dine together in [[Paris]] and [[Israel]].<ref name="NYT Sarkozy">{{cite news |last=Kershner |first=Isabel |title=In Overheard Comments, Sarkozy Calls Netanyahu a 'Liar' |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/world/middleeast/in-overheard-comments-nicolas-sarkozy-calls-benjamin-netanyahu-a-liar.html |work=New York Times |accessdate=14 November 2011 |date=8 November 2011}}</ref> During the [[2011 G-20 Cannes summit]], Sarkozy was overheard saying to U.S. President Barack Obama, "I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar". To this Obama reportedly responded, "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day." Journalists covering the event were requested to sign an agreement not to report the incident.<ref name="YNet Overheard">[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4145266,00.html Report: Sarkozy calls Netanyahu 'liar'] [[Ynet News]], 7 November 2011.</ref><ref name="CBS Fed Up">[http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-57320340-503543/sarkozy-to-obama-im-fed-up-with-netanyahu/ Sarkozy to Obama: I'm fed up with Netanyahu], [[CBS News]], 8 November 2011.</ref>

Apart from his relationship with the Obama administration, Netanyahu has close ties with the [[U.S. Republican Party]] and its leadership in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/world/middleeast/house-gop-finds-a-growing-bond-with-netanyahu.html?pagewanted=print |title=House G.O.P. Tightens Its Bond With Netanyahu |author= Jennifer Steinhauer and Steven Lee Myers |work=The New York Times |date=20 September 2011 |accessdate=2 March 2012}}</ref> Netanyahu and [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012|2012 Republican presidential nominee]] [[Mitt Romney]] have a close relationship that dates back to their work together at the [[Boston Consulting Group]] in the mid-1970s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Romney to visit Israel, meet with Netanyahu |first=Maeve |last=Reston |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/02/news/la-pn-mitt-romney-to-visit-israel-meet-with-netanyahu-20120702 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=2 July 2012 |accessdate=6 March 2013}}</ref> U.S. Vice President [[Joe Biden]], a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], has been friendly with Netanyahu for many years. In November 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/11/18/heart-motor-city-vice-president-biden-addresses-yeshiva-beth-yehuda |title=In the Heart of Motor City, Vice President Biden Addresses Yeshiva Beth Yehuda |last=Bernstein |first=Jared |date=18 November 2011 |publisher=White House |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> and in the [[United States presidential election debates, 2012|2012 U.S. vice presidential debate]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.npr.org/2012/10/11/162754053/transcript-biden-ryan-vice-presidential-debate |title=Transcript And Audio: Vice Presidential Debate |date=11 October 2012 |publisher=NPR |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> Biden stated that the relationship has lasted for 39 years. Netanyahu remarked in March 2010 during a joint statement with Biden during his visit of Israel<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-vice-president-biden-and-prime-minister-netanyahu-a-joint-statement-press |title=Remarks by Vice President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu in a Joint Statement to the Press |date=9 March 2010 |publisher=White House |accessdate=17 March 2013}}</ref> that their friendship had started almost three decades prior.

== Authored books ==
*{{cite book |title=International Terrorism: Challenge and Response |year=1981 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |isbn=978-0878558940}}
*{{cite book |title=Terrorism: How the West Can Win |year=1987 |publisher=Avon |isbn=978-0380703210}}
*{{cite book |title=Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism |year=1995 |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |isbn=978-0374154929}}
*{{cite book |title=A Durable Peace: Israel and Its Place Among the Nations |year=1999 |origyear=1993 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-0446523066}}

== See also ==
{{portal|Politics|Israel}}
*[[List of Israeli politicians]]
*[[List of Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links |wikt=no |b=no |v=no |voy=no |author=yes}}
*{{Official website|http://www.netanyahu.org.il/en/}}
*[http://www.pmo.gov.il/ENGLISH/PRIMEMINISTER/Pages/PrimeMinister-CurriculumVitae.aspx Benjamin Netanyahu] at the [[Office of the Prime Minister (Israel)|Israel Prime Minister's Office]]
*{{MKlink|id=90}}
*{{C-SPAN|benjaminnetanyahu}}
*{{Charlie Rose view|1452}}
*{{IMDb name|1386592}}
*[http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/SearchResults.aspx?q=netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu] collected news and commentary at ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]''
*{{Haaretztopic|Benjamin%20Netanyahu}}
*{{NYTtopic|people/n/benjamin_netanyahu}}
*{{dmoz|Regional/Middle_East/Israel/Society_and_Culture/History/Prime_Ministers/Netanyahu,_Binyamin}}

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{{Persondata
| NAME = Netanyahu, Benjamin
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Milkowsky, Benjamin; Bibi; בנימין נתניהו
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Israeli politician
| DATE OF BIRTH = 21 October 1949
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Tel Aviv, Israel
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Netanyahu, Benjamin}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Boston Consulting Group people]]
[[Category:Israeli Jews]]
[[Category:Israeli management consultants]]
[[Category:Israeli Ministers of Health]]
[[Category:Israeli party leaders]]
[[Category:Israeli people of Belarusian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Israeli people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Israeli people of Polish-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Israeli people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Israeli people of the Yom Kippur War]]
[[Category:Israeli political writers]]
[[Category:Israeli soldiers]]
[[Category:Jewish military personnel]]
[[Category:Jewish politicians]]
[[Category:Jewish writers]]
[[Category:Likud politicians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the Knesset]]
[[Category:Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Israel]]
[[Category:MIT Sloan School of Management alumni]]
[[Category:Netanyahu family]]
[[Category:People from Cheltenham, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:People from Jerusalem]]
[[Category:People from Tel Aviv]]
[[Category:Permanent Representatives of Israel to the United Nations]]
[[Category:Prime Ministers of Israel]]
[[Category:Secular Jews]]
[[Category:Writers on Zionism]]

{{Link GA|cs}}

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