Career Timeline of Benjamin Netanyahu: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Benjamin Netanyahu made an impact.
Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician who currently serves as the prime minister of Israel (since 2022) and previously held the office twice (1996-1999, 2009-2021). As the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, he has held the position for a total of over 17 years. His political career has significantly shaped Israeli politics and foreign policy.
1967: Return to Israel and IDF Enrollment
In 1967, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the Israel Defense Forces.
1967: Return to Israel and Enlistment in IDF
In 1967, after graduating high school, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces.
October 1973: Service in Yom Kippur War
In October 1973, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel to serve in the Yom Kippur War.
1976: Employment at Boston Consulting Group
Between 1976 and 1978, Benjamin Netanyahu worked as an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group in Boston, Massachusetts.
1976: Economic Consulting for Boston Consulting Group
In 1976, while working as an economic consultant for Boston Consulting Group, Netanyahu analyzed European governments and identified concentrations of power that stifled competition, influencing his future economic views.
1978: End of Employment at Boston Consulting Group
Between 1976 and 1978, Benjamin Netanyahu worked as an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group in Boston, Massachusetts.
1978: Founding of Anti-Terror Institute
In 1978, Benjamin Netanyahu moved back to Israel to found the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute.
1978: Return to Israel and Anti-Terror Institute
In 1978, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel and ran the Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute.
1980: Director of Marketing for Rim Industries
From 1980 to 1982, Benjamin Netanyahu was director of marketing for Rim Industries in Jerusalem.
1982: Deputy Chief of Mission
In 1982, Arens appointed Netanyahu as his Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.
1982: End of Role at Rim Industries
In 1982, Benjamin Netanyahu's role as director of marketing for Rim Industries ended.
1984: Appointment as Ambassador to the UN
From 1984 to 1988, Benjamin Netanyahu served as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.
1988: End of UN Ambassadorship
In 1988, Benjamin Netanyahu's service as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations concluded.
1988: End of Term as Ambassador to the UN
In 1988, Benjamin Netanyahu's term as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations concluded.
1988: Return to Israel and Joining Likud
Prior to the 1988 Israeli legislative election, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the Likud party, being elected to the Knesset.
1992: Defeat of Likud Party
Following the defeat of the Likud party in the 1992 Israeli legislative elections, the party held a leadership election in 1993.
1993: Election as Chair of Likud
In 1993, Benjamin Netanyahu was elected as chair of the Likud party, becoming the leader of the opposition.
1993: Victory in Likud Party Leadership Election
In 1993, Benjamin Netanyahu was victorious in the Likud party leadership election.
1995: Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism
In his 1995 book, "Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism", Netanyahu advocated for tightening immigration laws in the West as a method to combat terrorism.
May 1996: Election as Prime Minister
In May 1996, Benjamin Netanyahu won the Israeli legislative election, becoming the youngest person in history to hold the position of Prime Minister and the first Israeli prime minister to be born in the State of Israel.
September 1996: First Meeting with Arafat
In September 1996, Benjamin Netanyahu met Palestinian President Arafat for the first time after a telephone conversation. Netanyahu emphasized the need to consider the needs of both sides based on reciprocity and security, while Arafat expressed determination to work with Netanyahu's government.
1996: Election as Prime Minister
In 1996, Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli prime minister elected directly by popular vote and the youngest to hold the position.
1996: Victory of the Likud Party
In 1996, Netanyahu's Likud party defeated Shimon Peres and the Israeli Labor Party due to a campaign of massive retaliation.
September 1997: Mossad Attempt to Assassinate Khaled Mashal
In September 1997, Netanyahu authorized a Mossad operation to assassinate Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Jordan. The attempt failed, leading to a diplomatic crisis and the release of Jordanian and Palestinian prisoners. The Mossad team entered Jordan on September 27, 1997.
November 1998: Approval of Wye River Memorandum
In November 1998, the Knesset approved the Wye River Memorandum by a vote of 75-19. The Wye River Memorandum detailed steps for the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to implement the Interim Agreement of 1995.
1998: Reputation as Advocate for Free-Market
By 1998, Netanyahu had acquired a reputation as "the advocate of the free-market".
1999: Defeat and Retirement from Politics
In 1999, Benjamin Netanyahu was defeated in the election, leading to his retirement from politics and entry into the private sector.
1999: End of First Term as Prime Minister
In 1999, Benjamin Netanyahu's first term as the prime minister of Israel came to an end.
1999: Advocating Peace with Free Markets
In 1999, Netanyahu told the Jerusalem Post that peace without free markets will not produce growth, but free markets without peace do produce growth.
1999: Defeat in Election and Temporary Retirement
In 1999, after being defeated by Ehud Barak in the Israeli prime ministerial election, Netanyahu temporarily retired from politics.
2000: Desire to Return to Politics
In late 2000, with the fall of the Barak government, Netanyahu expressed his desire to return to politics, but decided not to run for prime minister.
September 2002: Testimony on Iraqi Nuclear Threat
On September 12, 2002, Netanyahu testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asserting that Saddam Hussein was actively developing nuclear weapons.
2002: Appointment as Foreign Minister
In 2002, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Netanyahu as foreign minister after the Israeli Labor Party left the coalition.
2003: Appointment as Finance Minister
Following the 2003 Israeli legislative election, Sharon offered Netanyahu the Finance Ministry, which he accepted.
2003: Minister of Finance and Economic Overhaul
In 2003, as Minister of Finance, Netanyahu introduced a major overhaul of the Israeli economy, including a welfare to work program, privatization, and tax system reforms.
2004: Threat to Resign Over Gaza Pullout Plan
In 2004, Netanyahu threatened to resign from office unless the Gaza pullout plan was put to a referendum.
August 2005: Resignation as Finance Minister
On August 7, 2005, Netanyahu submitted his resignation letter as Finance Minister, shortly before the Israeli cabinet voted to approve the initial phase of withdrawal from Gaza.
September 2005: Attempt to Hold Early Primaries
In September 2005, Netanyahu tried to hold early primaries for the head of the Likud party, but the party rejected the initiative.
December 2005: Retaking Leadership of Likud
On December 20, 2005, Netanyahu retook the leadership of Likud with 47% of the primary vote.
2005: Economic Boom
By 2005, the Israeli economy started booming, and unemployment fell significantly, with Netanyahu widely credited with an 'economic miracle'.
2005: Return to Lead Likud
In 2005, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to lead the Likud party.
March 2006: Likud Takes Third Place in Knesset Elections
In March 2006, Likud took third place in the Knesset elections, and Netanyahu served as Leader of the Opposition.
2006: Leader of the Opposition
In 2006, Benjamin Netanyahu became the leader of the opposition, a position he held until 2009.
August 2007: Reelection as Likud Chairman
On August 14, 2007, Netanyahu was reelected as chairman of the Likud and its candidate for prime minister with 73% of the vote.
February 2009: Designated Prime Minister
In February 2009, despite Likud winning the second highest number of seats, Netanyahu claimed victory and was designated by President Shimon Peres to succeed Ehud Olmert as prime minister.
February 2009: New Elections Supported
In February 2009, following Tzipi Livni's election to head Kadima and Olmert's resignation, Netanyahu declined to join Livni's coalition and supported new elections.
March 2009: Government Approved
On March 31, 2009, Netanyahu presented his cabinet for a Knesset "Vote of Confidence". The 32nd Government was approved that day.
June 2009: Bar-Ilan Speech on Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
In June 2009, Netanyahu delivered the "Bar-Ilan speech" at Bar-Ilan University, endorsing for the first time the notion of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
June 2009: Bar-Ilan University Speech
On June 14, 2009, Netanyahu gave a speech at Bar-Ilan University in which he endorsed a "Demilitarized Palestinian State", conditioned on Jerusalem remaining the unified capital of Israel and other stipulations.
July 2009: Government Approval and Economic Boost
In July 2009, a survey indicated that most Israelis supported the Netanyahu government. Also, Netanyahu lifted checkpoints in the West Bank, resulting in an economic boost.
August 2009: Repeating Claims from the Palestinians
On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of a government meeting, Netanyahu repeated his claims from the Palestinians regarding recognition of Israel and security settlements.
September 2009: UN General Assembly Speech on Iran
On 24 September 2009, Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, expressing concerns about Iran's regime and its nuclear ambitions, framing it as a threat to global civilization.
September 2009: UN General Assembly Address
On September 24, 2009, Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, condemning Iran's nuclear ambitions and questioning Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial.
2009: Second Term as Prime Minister
In 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu began his second term as the prime minister of Israel, continuing until 2021.
2010: Formation of the Concentration Committee
In 2010, Netanyahu formed the Concentration Committee to address and provide insight to business affairs and market competition.
November 2011: Unprecedented security cooperation
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.
September 2012: UN General Assembly Speech on Iran's Nuclear Program
On 28 September 2012, Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, setting forward a "red line" of 90% uranium enrichment for Iran, using a cartoon graphic of a bomb to illustrate the perceived threat.
2012: Warning Against Iranian Nuclear Bomb
Early in 2012, Netanyahu used Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day to warn against the dangers of an Iranian nuclear bomb, drawing criticism for his use of the Holocaust for political purposes.
2012: Appreciation for African Hebrew Israelites
In 2012, Netanyahu expressed appreciation towards the cooperative society that is working towards the inclusion of the Hebrew Israelite community in Israeli society at large.
May 2013: Conflicting Promises to Wultz Family and China
In May 2013, prior to a state visit to China, Netanyahu reportedly made conflicting promises regarding cooperation in the terror-financing case against Bank of China, creating a dilemma between commitments to the Wultz family and the Chinese government.
July 2013: Port Privatization Campaign
In July 2013, Netanyahu issued tenders for the construction of private ports in Haifa and Ashdod as part of a port privatization campaign.
August 2013: Congressional Delegation to Israel
In August 2013, Ros-Lehtinen, chair of the House Middle East and South Asia subcommittee, 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.
October 2013: Remarks on Iranian Regime and Nuclear Weapons
In an October 2013 interview with BBC Persian Service, Netanyahu stated that if the Iranian regime possesses nuclear weapons, the Iranian people will never be free of dictatorship.
December 2013: Business Concentration Law Approved
In December 2013, the Knesset approved the Business Concentration Law, aiming to increase competition and reduce income inequality in Israel's economy.
2013: Likud Victory in Elections
In 2013, Benjamin Netanyahu led Likud to victory in the elections.
October 2014: Government Approves Privatization Plan and Criticizes Settlement Criticism
In October 2014, Netanyahu's government approved a privatization plan to reduce corruption and politicization, also that month, Netanyahu criticized American values, leading to a sharp rebuke from the White House.
December 2014: Netanyahu Fired Ministers Leading to Government Dissolution
On 2 December 2014, Netanyahu fired Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, leading to the dissolution of the government and setting the stage for new elections.
January 2015: Netanyahu Invited to Address US Congress
In January 2015, Netanyahu was invited to address the US Congress for the third time, and tried to derail a meeting between U.S. lawmakers and the head of Mossad.
March 2015: New elections expected
In March 2015, new elections are expected after the dissolution of the government on 2 December 2014.
March 2015: Reactions to Netanyahu's Speech
Leading up to the speech on 3 March 2015, Israeli consuls general in the United States expected a negative reaction from U.S. Jewish communities and Israel's allies due to the arrangement and timing of the speech.
May 2015: Netanyahu Granted Extension and Forms Coalition Government
In May 2015, President Rivlin granted Netanyahu an extension to build a coalition, which he successfully formed with several parties, including Jewish Home and United Torah Judaism, just two hours before the deadline.
May 2015: Netanyahu announces run for fifth term
On 28 May 2015, Netanyahu announced that he would be running for an unprecedented fifth term as prime minister in the next general election and that he supports Likud's current process of picking MK candidates.
August 2015: Government Approves Two-Year Budget
In August 2015, Netanyahu's government approved a two-year budget with plans for agricultural reforms, deregulation in construction, and reforms in the financial sector, although some agricultural reforms were later compromised.
2015: Mossad assessment of Iranian readiness to enrich uranium
According to cables leaked in 2015, Mossad's assessment at the time was that Iran did not appear ready to enrich uranium to levels required for a nuclear bomb.
2015: Likud Victory in Elections
In 2015, Benjamin Netanyahu led Likud to victory in the elections.
2015: Response to Ethiopian Jewish Protests
In 2015, after Ethiopian Jewish protests against police brutality, Netanyahu pledged to bring a comprehensive plan to the government to combat racism and discrimination in Israeli society.
2015: Comments on Palestinian State
In 2015, as election day approached, Netanyahu stated that a Palestinian state would not be established in his term, citing concerns about yielding territory to radical Islamic terrorists, but reiterated his support for a peaceful, sustainable two-state solution.
2017: Call for Death Penalty
In 2017, Netanyahu called for the death penalty to be imposed on the perpetrator of the 2017 Halamish stabbing attack.
January 2018: Preliminary Vote on Death Penalty Bill
In January 2018, a preliminary vote in the Knesset favored a bill allowing the death penalty for terrorism, marking a step towards potential legislative change.
July 2018: Knesset Passed the Nation-State Bill
On 19 July 2018, the Knesset passed the Nation-State Bill, a Basic Law supported by Netanyahu's coalition government.
April 2019: Brokered deal with Otzma Yehudit party
Prior to the April 2019 Israeli legislative election, Netanyahu helped broker a deal that united the Jewish Home party with the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, in order to form the Union of the Right-Wing Parties.
May 2020: Sworn in for fifth term as prime minister
In May 2020, Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in for a fifth term as prime minister in a coalition with Benny Gantz. This occurred against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic and Netanyahu's criminal trial, which led to demonstrations against him.
2020: Praise for Airstrike
In 2020, Netanyahu praised the U.S. military's Baghdad International Airport airstrike, which killed the high-level Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, saying that Trump had acted "swiftly, forcefully and decisively".
March 2021: Israeli Election
In March 2021, Israel held an election amidst a political crisis.
June 2021: Removal from Premiership
In June 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu was removed from the premiership.
June 2021: Ousted as prime minister
In June 2021, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid formed a coalition government, leading to Netanyahu being ousted as prime minister and ending his 12-year tenure.
2021: End of Second Term as Prime Minister
In 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu's second term as the prime minister of Israel concluded.
December 2022: Sworn in as prime minister again
In December 2022, Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as prime minister again, starting his sixth term as the leader of a hardline coalition.
2022: Return to Premiership
In 2022, Benjamin Netanyahu began serving again as the prime minister of Israel.
2022: Led the opposition into the 2022 Israeli legislative election
In 2022, Netanyahu led the opposition into the Israeli legislative election, with Likud remaining the largest party in the Knesset.
