Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister, leading the country through October 7, the Gaza ground war, the Lebanon campaign and the Iran nuclear standoff. Netanyahu's political survival depends on coalition partners who oppose any deal that ends the war, creating structural tension with ceasefire efforts.

Benjamin Netanyahu was born on October 21, 1949, in Tel Aviv. He grew up partly in the US and served in the elite Sayeret Matkal special forces. His brother Yonatan was killed in the 1976 Entebbe raid. He served as Prime Minister from 1996–1999 and again from 2009 onwards (with brief interruption 2021–2022). He is simultaneously on trial for corruption charges — a fact that shapes political calculations about when and whether to end the Gaza war.