Top 10 Facts about Benjamin Netanyahu

Photo source: Benjamin Netanyahu from Wikipedia

Top 10 Facts about Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Israel from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021.

Netanyahu was born in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on October 21, 1949, and grew up in Jerusalem.

He is the son of Prof. Benzion Netanyahu whose original name was Mileikowsky and Tzila Segal.

He is currently serving as the leader of the opposition and the chairman of the Likud national liberal movement.

Here are some amazing some top interesting facts about Benjamin Netanyahu.

1. Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli Politician

Photo by U.S Embassy Tel Aviv from Wikimedia

Netanyahu started his political career in  1978, shortly after his brother had been killed on a mission in Uganda.

His first high-profile political assignment was the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, in 1984.

He was elected to the Knesset in 1988, on a  Likud party ticket, and was named deputy foreign minister in the same year.

Benjamin Netanyahu is an active figure in Israeli politics for over four decades now, he has served as Israel’s prime minister twice.

2. Benjamin Netanyahu Has Served as Israel’s Prime Minister Twice

Photo by Jack Sanders from Wikimedia

Benjamin Netanyahu has served as Israel’s prime minister for two terms, first between 1996-1999 and second from 2009 to 2021.

In the 1996 elections, Benjamin Netanyahu was the front-runner for the position of Prime Minister, 

He won the elections and became the ninth prime minister of Israel.

He lost the majority support from the right-wing leaning parties for his concessions to the Palestinians.

Netanyahu lost the 1999 elections to Ehud Barak, subsequently, he retired from politics for a few years.

He again became Israel’s prime minister in 2009 until 2021, serving for 12 continuous years.

3. Benjamin Netanyahu in Military Service

1967, Netanyahu joined the Israeli army and served in an elite commando unit, taking part in secret missions.

In the army, Netanyahu was with Ehud Barak, who later defeated him in the 1999 elections.

he was a member of a special unit that carried out cross-border attacks against neighboring Arab states. 

 He retired from the army in 1973, where he attained the rank of captain 

4. Benjamin Netanyahu Served as a Finance minister

Photo by Hudson Institute from Wikimedia

Shortly after the 2003 elections,  he was appointed as minister for finance in Ariel Sharon’s government.

by prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Sharon and Netanyahu came to an agreement that Netanyahu would have complete freedom as Finance Minister and have Sharon back all of his reform agenda.

As Finance Minister, Netanyahu undertook an economic plan to restore Israel’s economy from its low point during the Second Intifada.

He helped the Israeli economy to recover, and unemployment fell significantly.

He submitted his resignation letter on 7 August 2005, shortly before the Israeli cabinet voted 17 to 5 to approve the initial recommendations of withdrawal from Gaza.

5. Benjamin Netanyahu is Israel’s Leader of Opposition

Photo by U.S State Department from Wikimedia

 Netanyahu was one of the leading candidates for the Likud leadership after Ariel Sharon withdrew from the party.

he had tried to hold early primaries for the position of the head of the Likud party in September 2005, without success.

In the March 2006 Knesset elections, Likud took third place behind Kadima and the labor party, and Netanyahu was Leader of the Opposition.

Netanyahu lost his position as prime minister on 2 June 2021, ending his 12 years tenure.

After the end of his second premiership, Netanyahu began his third stint as the leader of the opposition. Likud remains the largest party of the Knesset.

6. Benjamin Netanyahu’s marital status

Benjamin Netanyahu is married to  Sara Netanyahu,   a psychologist, and alumni of Tel Aviv University.

Netanyahu and Sara tied the knot in 1991. Together, the couple has raised two sons, Avner and Yair Netanyahu.

Yair Netanyahu is a political activist who actively defends his father’s policies.

He has another child from a previous marriage.

7. Benjamin Netanyahu is a Diplomat

Photo by Office of Congressman Mike Pence from Wikimedia

In 1982 Netanyahu joined Israel’s diplomatic mission in the United States, where he served for two years as Deputy Chief of Mission. 

 In 1984, Netanyahu was sent as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations,  a position he held for four years.

He was an articulate speaker, forceful debater, and media-oriented diplomat. He played a major role in efforts to enhance Israel’s image.

 As a diplomat, Netanyahu improved the understanding of the country’s security needs among the Senior American officials.

8. Benjamin Netanyahu is an Author

Benjamin Netanyahu has written several books  in Hebrew and the English languages,  some are translated into Russian, French, Arabic, Japanese and other languages,

Among them are Terrorism: How the West Can Win (editor, 1987); A Durable Peace: Israel and Its Place among the Nations (1992); and Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism (1996).

His books are available in all major bookstores around the world.

9. Benjamin Netanyahu is a Brother to Yoni Netanyahu

Photo by Amos Ben Gershom from Wikimedia

Benjamin Netanyahu is a brother to an Israeli hero the late Yoni Netanyahu.

Yonatan Netanyahu was an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officer, who commanded the elite commando unit during Operation Entebbe.

Operation Thunderbolt was a secret counter-terrorism mission, by Israel defense forces to rescue hostages in Entebbe Uganda, 

The mission was successful, with 102 of the 106 hostages rescued, but Netanyahu was killed in action, the only member of commandos to be killed during the operation.

He had also joined the Israeli army special unit in the early 1970s and was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service for his conduct in the Yom Kippur War of 1973.

10. Benjamin Netanyahu’s net worth

Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the wealthiest politicians in the world.

As per estimates made by Forbes Magazine, Benjamin Netanyahu is worth about $300,000,000.

Officially Benjamin Netanyahu earns around $170,000 every year.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s other sources of income above his official salary are not in the public domain.