Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu , 1949-, Israeli diplomat and politician, prime minister of Israel (1996-99), b. Tel Aviv. A member of the conservative Likud party, the self-assured Netanyahu, known universally in Israel as "BiBi," attended high school in the United States, where his father was a history professor. He was an officer in an elite Israeli commando unit from 1967 to 1972 and later studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.Sc. 1974, M.Sc. 1976). Returning to Israel in 1978, he became active in politics and served as Israel's UN representative (1984-88). First elected to Israel's parliament in 1988, he became deputy foreign minister (1988-91) and deputy prime minister (1991-92). During this period he earned a reputation for American-style media savvy.

As leader (1993-99) of the Likud party, Netanyahu was largely responsible for engineering its return to political power after its 1992 electoral defeat. An opponent of the peace policies espoused by Israel's Labor government, he was criticized for cultivating Jewish extremist support after the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin . Narrowly elected in May, 1996, he became Israel's youngest prime minister, promising a tough stance on terrorism. His tenure was marked by difficult peace talks with the Palestinians. Corruption scandals in his cabinet and strong reactions to his personality contributed to his May, 1999, loss to One Israel (Labor) party leader Ehud Barak . More recently, Netanyahu served under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as foreign minister (2002-3) and as finance minister (2003-5), but resigned and unsuccessfully challenged (2005) Sharon for the Likud leadership when Israel withdrew its settlers and forces from the Gaza Strip. When Sharon subsequently left Likud, Netanyahu became party leader; the party did poorly in the 2006 elections.

Netanyahu, Benjamin (b. 21 Oct. 1949). Prime Minister of Israel 1996–99 Born in Tel Aviv, he grew up in the USA and Israel, and studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he obtained a degree in architecture and business administration. After working as a management consultant, he became an officer in an elite anti-terror unit of the Israel Defence Force (1967–72). He published a number of books on Israel's fight against terrorism, and in 1976 was appointed director of the Jonathan Institute against terrorism. In 1982 he became deputy head of Israel's Mission in the USA. As Israel's ambassador to the UN (1984–8), his telegenic personality gave him an excellent working relationship with the US media, an important source of support for him among Jewish groups in the USA. He returned to Israel to become Deputy Foreign Minister (1988–91) and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (1991–2). Still largely unknown, he took over as Chairman of the Likud Party in 1993, when its popular support was at a low ebb against the popular Rabin. His fierce opposition to the Oslo Accords gave way to tepid tolerance. In the 1996 general elections, his charm and charisma overcame doubts about his lack of policy commitments.

As Prime Minister, he walked a tightrope between US pressure to continue negotiations with Arafat's PLO, and satisfying the right- wingers within his government who insisted on Jewish settlers' rights in the West Bank. After his election, he hoped to stall the peace process and concentrate on economic growth instead. However, his refusal to comply with the Gaza–Jericho Agreement put the progress in Israeli–Palestinian relations achieved under his predecessors open to serious doubts. Netanyahu refused to implement the final stages of the Oslo Accords, insisting instead that the amount of land to be vacated by Israel be reduced. He also refused to negotiate on the status of Jerusalem. In the three years of his government, the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank increased by 20 per cent, making an Israeli withdrawal yet more unlikely and difficult. Netanyahu's policies led to growing unrest in the Palestinian territories, and to a growing radicalization of many young Palestinians impatient for the prospect of independence. His inability to control the escalating violence between the army and the Palestinian population led to his election defeat against Barak. He declined to challenge Sharon as Likud's candidate in the 2001 elections, but continued to rally right-wing opposition against the Prime Minister.