Challenges Faced by Benjamin Netanyahu: Obstacles and Turning Points
Life is full of challenges, and Benjamin Netanyahu faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is an Israeli politician and diplomat currently serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2022. He also held the position from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021. He is Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
1993: Israeli Supreme Court Precedent on Resignation
In compliance with legal precedent set by the Israeli Supreme Court in 1993, Netanyahu was expected to relinquish certain portfolios after being indicted. This historical context highlights the legal framework surrounding the indictment of a sitting prime minister.
March 1996: Suicide Bombings
On March 3 and 4, 1996, Palestinians carried out two suicide bombings, killing 32 Israelis, which contributed to the downfall of Shimon Peres during the election.
1996: Netanyahu's victory in the 1996 Israeli election
In 1996, Deif's bombing campaign and the failure of Israeli intelligence contributed to the defeat of Prime Minister Shimon Peres and the Labor Party, leading to Netanyahu's victory in the Israeli general election.
1996: Opening of the Western Wall Tunnel exit
In 1996, Netanyahu and Jerusalem's mayor Ehud Olmert decided to open an exit in the Muslim Quarter for the Western Wall Tunnel, resulting in rioting and casualties.
1997: Police recommendation to indict Netanyahu on corruption charges
In 1997, police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted on corruption charges for influence-peddling, but prosecutors ruled that there was insufficient evidence to go to trial.
May 1998: Exchange of remains after the Ansariya ambush
In May 1998, the remains of Israeli soldiers killed in the Ansariya ambush were exchanged for Lebanese prisoners and the bodies of Hezbollah fighters.
1999: Netanyahu Loses Election
In 1999, Benjamin Netanyahu was defeated in an election.
1999: Netanyahu Defeated and Enters Private Sector
In 1999, Benjamin Netanyahu was defeated in the election and entered the private sector.
1999: Police recommendation to try Netanyahu for corruption
In 1999, the Israel Police recommended that Netanyahu be tried for corruption regarding free services from a government contractor, but the attorney general did not prosecute due to difficulties with evidence.
2000: Case 2000 Allegations
Netanyahu allegedly attempted in 2000 to strike a deal with the publisher of the Yedioth Ahronot newspaper group, Arnon Mozes, to promote legislation to weaken Yedioth's main competitor in exchange for more favorable political coverage. The case is called "Case 2000".
September 2002: Speech cancellation at Concordia University
On 9 September 2002, Netanyahu's scheduled speech at Concordia University in Montreal was canceled due to pro-Palestinian protests.
August 2009: Netanyahu Calls for Recognition of Israel
In August 2009 Netanyahu said: "We want...recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and...a security settlement". Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas declared he would be willing to meet with Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly, where Netanyahu had accepted Obama's invitation for a "triple summit".
September 2009: Speech before the UN on Iran
In September 2009, Netanyahu addressed the UN in New York, countering Iranian President Ahmadinejad's speech. He argued that Iran's regime is driven by fanaticism and seeks to revert to medieval times, viewing the struggle against Iran as civilization versus barbarism.
September 2009: Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly on Iranian Nuclear Threat
On September 24, 2009, Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, asserting that Iran posed a threat to world peace and the UN must prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons. Waving blueprints for Auschwitz, Netanyahu rebuked Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's questioning of the Holocaust.
2009: Migration into Israel from African countries
Between 2009 and 2013, approximately 60,000 people crossed into Israel from various African countries. Netanyahu stated that "this phenomenon is very grave and threatens the social fabric of society, our national security and our national identity."
2009: Netanyahu Endorses "Demilitarized Palestinian State"
Following Obama's Cairo speech in 2009 stating that the US does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements, Netanyahu gave a speech on June 14, 2009, endorsing a "Demilitarized Palestinian State." He stated he would accept a Palestinian state if Jerusalem remained the united capital of Israel, the Palestinians had no army, and they gave up their demand for a right of return.
2009: Hillary Clinton voices support for Palestinian state
In 2009, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, a solution not endorsed by Netanyahu. Clinton pledged US cooperation with Netanyahu, who conditioned negotiations with the Palestinians on them recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.
March 2010: Israel Approves Construction in Jerusalem, Despite US Opposition
In March 2010, Israel's government approved construction of 1,600 apartments in Ramat Shlomo, a Jewish housing development in northeast Jerusalem, despite US opposition. The announcement occurred during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, prompting public condemnation from the US. Netanyahu defended the decision, stating it aligned with previous Israeli governments' policies.
September 2010: Netanyahu Agrees to Direct Talks with Palestinians
In September 2010, Netanyahu agreed to enter direct talks, mediated by the Obama administration, with the Palestinians, aiming for a "final status settlement" and a two-state solution. On September 27, 2010, the 10-month settlement freeze ended, and the Israeli government approved new construction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
2011: Israeli Social Justice Protests and the Trajtenberg Committee
In 2011, Israeli social justice protests erupted due to Israel's high cost of living. Netanyahu appointed the Trajtenberg Committee, which submitted recommendations to lower living costs. Despite Netanyahu's promise to implement the reforms in full, differences within his coalition led to gradual adoption.
2011: Arranging prisoner swap for Gilad Shalit
In 2011, Netanyahu arranged for 1000 Hamas and Fatah prisoners, including terrorists, to be swapped for Gilad Shalit.
2011: Proposed budget cuts and defense spending
In 2011, Netanyahu's proposed budget cuts led the Israeli General Staff to conclude that the armed forces could not maintain battle readiness. Netanyahu then cut social programs instead and promised to increase the defense budget by six percent.
September 2012: Speech to UN General Assembly setting "red line" for Iran
In September 2012, Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, establishing a "red line" at 90% uranium enrichment for Iran, which would pose an unacceptable risk to Israel. He used a cartoon graphic of a bomb to illustrate his point.
2012: Warning against Iranian nuclear bomb
Early in 2012, Netanyahu used the opening ceremony for Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day to warn against the dangers of an Iranian nuclear bomb. Later in 2012, Immediately after the Burgas bus bombing, Netanyahu confirmed it had been undertaken in coordination with Iran.
2012: Passage of "Prevention of Infiltration Law"
In 2012, the Netanyahu government passed the "Prevention of Infiltration Law", which mandated automatic detention of all people, including asylum-seekers, who enter Israel without permission. Amnesty International criticized it as "an affront to international law".
August 2013: Ros-Lehtinen raises Wultz case with Israeli officials
In August 2013, Ros-Lehtinen, as chair of the House Middle East and South Asia subcommittee, raised the Daniel Wultz case with Israeli officials during a congressional delegation visit to Israel, stressing the importance of providing the Wultz family with what they needed for their lawsuit.
October 2013: Praising Persian history and expressing concern over Iranian nuclear weapons
In an October 2013 interview, Netanyahu praised the history of Persia and stated that if the Iranian regime possesses nuclear weapons, the Iranian people will never be free from dictatorship and will live in eternal servitude.
2013: Response to Supreme Court ruling on "Prevention of Infiltration Law"
In 2013, when the Supreme Court of Israel declared the "Prevention of Infiltration Law" illegal for permitting immediate and indefinite detention of asylum seekers from Africa, Netanyahu requested legislation to work around the Supreme Court ruling.
June 2014: Netanyahu Criticizes Hamas-PA Unity Government and Launches Search Operation
In June 2014, Netanyahu voiced concerns about the Hamas and Palestinian Authority unity government, criticizing the US and European governments' decision to work with it. He blamed Hamas for the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June 2014, launching a massive search and arrest operation on the West Bank.
October 2014: Government Approves Privatization Plan and Faces Rebuke Over Settlement Criticism
In October 2014, Netanyahu's government approved a privatization plan. Also in October 2014, Netanyahu called criticism of settlements "against American values," which led to a rebuke from the White House, citing American funding and technology provided to Israel. Jeffrey Goldberg reported that relations between Netanyahu and the White House had deteriorated significantly.
October 2014: Obama administration official calls Netanyahu "chickenshit"
In October 2014, a senior Obama administration official reportedly called Netanyahu a "chickenshit" after Netanyahu accused President Obama of acting contrary to American values, leading to increased tensions and a crisis-level relationship between Netanyahu and the Obama administration.
December 2014: Netanyahu Fires Ministers, Leading to Government Dissolution
On December 2, 2014, Netanyahu fired ministers Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni, leading to the dissolution of the government and setting the stage for new elections on March 17, 2015.
March 2015: Netanyahu Addresses United States Congress Amid Controversy
In March 2015, Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his third speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Leading up to the speech, there were objections, including the arrangement of the speech without the support of the Obama administration and its timing before Israel's March 2015 election.
August 2015: Government Approves Two-Year Budget with Reforms
In August 2015, Netanyahu's government approved a two-year budget aimed at agricultural reforms, lowering import duties to reduce food prices, deregulating construction approval processes to lower housing costs and speed up infrastructure building, and reforming the financial sector to boost competition and lower fees for financial services. Ultimately, the government had to compromise by removing some key agricultural reforms.
2015: Mossad's assessment on Iran's uranium enrichment
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.
March 2016: Coalition Crisis over Western Wall Prayer Space
In March 2016, Netanyahu's coalition faced a potential crisis as ultra-Orthodox members threatened to withdraw over the government's proposed steps to create non-Orthodox prayer space at the Western Wall. They stated they would leave the coalition if the government offered any further official state recognition of Conservative and Reform Judaism.
December 2016: UN Security Council passes resolution
On December 23, 2016, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for an end to Israeli settlements, with the U.S. abstaining from the vote under the Obama administration. President-elect Trump attempted to intervene at the behest of the Netanyahu government.
January 2017: Investigations Begin in Cases 1000 and 2000
Since January 2017, Netanyahu has been investigated by Israeli police in two connected cases, "Case 1000" and "Case 2000". In Case 1000, Netanyahu is suspected of having obtained inappropriate favors from businessmen, including James Packer and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan. Case 2000 involves alleged attempts to strike a deal with the publisher of the Yedioth Ahronot newspaper group, Arnon Mozes, to promote legislation to weaken Yedioth's main competitor in exchange for more favorable political coverage.
August 2017: Police Confirm Netanyahu Suspected of Crimes; Ari Harow to Testify
In August 2017, Israeli police confirmed that Netanyahu was suspected of crimes involving fraud, breach of trust, and bribes in Cases 1000 and 2000. The next day, it was reported that the prime minister's former chief of staff, Ari Harow, had signed a deal with prosecutors to testify against Netanyahu.
February 2018: Police Recommend Indictment on Corruption Charges
In February 2018, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be charged with corruption. According to a police statement, sufficient evidence exists to indict the prime minister on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in Cases 1000 and 2000. Netanyahu responded that the allegations were baseless and that he would continue as prime minister.
November 2018: Recommendation for Indictment in Cases 1000 and 2000
In November 2018, it was reported that Economic Crimes Division Director Liat Ben-Ari recommended indictment for Netanyahu in Cases 1000 and 2000.
2018: Investigation in Case 4000
In 2018 Netanyahu was also investigated in "Case 4000", where he was suspected of giving regulatory favors to Shaul Elovitch, owner of Bezeq telecommunication company, in exchange for positive publications in news website Walla!.
2018: Start of Israeli Political Crisis
The 2018 Israeli political crisis resulted in a rotation agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz.
February 2019: Attorney General Announces Intent to File Indictments
In February 2019, the Israeli attorney general announced his intent to file indictments against Netanyahu on bribe and fraud charges in Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000.
November 2019: Netanyahu Formally Indicted
Netanyahu was formally indicted on 21 November 2019. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison for bribery and a maximum of three years for fraud and breach of trust. He is the first sitting prime minister in Israel's history to be charged with a crime. On 23 November 2019, it was announced that Netanyahu would relinquish his agriculture, health, social affairs and diaspora affairs portfolios.
2019: Netanyahu Indicted on Corruption Charges
In 2019, Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery, and fraud, and relinquished all ministerial posts except prime minister.
January 2020: Trump frustrated with Netanyahu's rhetoric
In January 2020, Trump became frustrated with Netanyahu's rhetoric regarding annexation of the Jordan Valley and considered endorsing his political opponent, Benny Gantz.
January 2020: Netanyahu Officially Charged
On 28 January 2020, Netanyahu was officially charged in the corruption cases against him.
May 2020: Criminal Trial Set to Begin
Netanyahu's criminal trial was set to begin on 24 May 2020, having been initially scheduled for March of that year but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 2020: Sworn in for Fifth Term Amidst Protests
On 17 May 2020, Netanyahu was sworn in for a fifth term as prime minister in a coalition with Benny Gantz. Against a background of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel and Netanyahu's criminal trial, protests broke out against him in front of the prime minister's residence. Following this, Netanyahu ordered to disperse the demonstrations using COVID-19 special regulations, limiting them to 20 people and at a distance of 1,000 meters from their homes. However, the exact opposite was achieved; the demonstrations were enlarged and dispersed to over 1,000 centers.
2020: Collapse of Rotation Agreement
In 2020, the rotation agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz collapsed, leading to a 2021 election.
June 2021: Netanyahu Removed as Prime Minister
In June 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu was removed as prime minister.
June 2021: Ousted as Prime Minister
On 13 June 2021, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid formed a coalition government, and Netanyahu was ousted as prime minister, ending his 12-year tenure.
April 2023: Criminal Trial Ongoing
As of April 2023, Netanyahu's criminal trial was still ongoing.
October 2023: Israel Enters War Against Hamas
On 7 October 2023, after Palestinian militants from Gaza launched a major surprise attack, Netanyahu announced that Israel would enter a war against Hamas. He threatened severe retaliation and called Gaza "the city of evil", urging its residents to "leave now".
December 2023: Accusation of genocide in Gaza at the International Court of Justice
In December 2023, Israel under Netanyahu was accused of committing genocide in Gaza in the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice.
December 2023: Criticism during meeting with released Israeli hostages
In December 2023, Netanyahu faced criticism during a meeting with released Israeli hostages, with one accusing him of prioritizing politics over the hostages' return. He also advocated for the "voluntary migration" of Palestinians from Gaza.
December 2023: South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice
In December 2023, Netanyahu's government faced the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice, regarding the genocide in Gaza.
2023: Criticism and Protests Following Hamas Attack
In 2023 Netanyahu was criticized for presiding over Israel's biggest intelligence failure in 50 years, and has faced protests calling for his removal. The war led to increased opposition to Netanyahu due to failure to anticipate the Hamas-led attack, with increased calls for Netanyahu's resignation. A 2023 poll showed that 56% of Israelis believed Netanyahu must resign after the war, with 86% holding the country's leadership responsible for the security failings that led to the attack.
2023: Judicial Reform Protests
In early 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition pursued judicial reform, which was met with large-scale protests.
2023: Diplomacy with China due to strained US ties
Since 2023, Netanyahu and Chinese president Xi Jinping have been engaged in diplomacy, arising due to strained ties between the US and Israel. The diplomatic situation has been made complicated due to the Gaza war, where China has remained neutral.
May 2024: International Criminal Court Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrant
In May 2024, Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, announced his intention to apply for an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on counts of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
October 2024: Drone Attack on Netanyahu's Residence
In October 2024, a drone attack believed to have originated from Lebanon targeted Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea. Netanyahu was not present, and no casualties were reported. He accused Hezbollah of attempting to assassinate him.
November 2024: ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu
In November 2024, The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine.
November 2024: Firing of Defense Minister and ICC Arrest Warrants
On 5 November 2024, Netanyahu fired defense minister Gallant. On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes, which Netanyahu described as "absurd and false lies" and "antisemitic".
December 2024: Invasion of Syria
After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Netanyahu directed an invasion of Syria.
2024: Pakistan Designates Netanyahu as a "Terrorist"
In 2024, Pakistan officially designated Netanyahu a "terrorist", holding him responsible for atrocities in Gaza.
January 2025: End of Gaza War Ceasefire
The night of March 18, 2025 saw Israel launch a surprise attack on the Gaza Strip, effectively ending the ceasefire of the Gaza war from January 2025.
March 2025: Surprise Attack on Gaza and Postponement of Corruption Trial
On the night of 18 March 2025, Israel launched a surprise attack on the Gaza Strip, ending the January 2025 ceasefire. Netanyahu's corruption trial was postponed as a result of the attacks. In March 2025, he fired Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
November 2025: Netanyahu Requests Presidential Pardon
On 30 November 2025, Netanyahu formally asked for a pardon from president Isaac Herzog.
February 2026: Air Campaign Against Iran
In February 2026, Benjamin Netanyahu launched a major air campaign against Iran, alongside the US, with the stated goal of regime change, beginning the 2026 Iran war.
February 2026: Authorization of joint airstrikes against Iran
In February 2026, Netanyahu authorized joint airstrikes against Iran in coordination with U.S. President Donald Trump, resulting in the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the commencement of the 2026 Iran war. He portrayed these military actions as opportunities for regime change in Iran.
February 2026: Summoned for Questioning in Classified Document Leak Investigation
In February 2026, the Attorney General and Cabinet Legal Advisor of Israel summoned Netanyahu to provide explanations to the police regarding an investigation into the leak of classified documents to the German newspaper Bild. The case reportedly concerns attempts to obstruct investigations into the leak of sensitive Israeli documents. Previously, Netanyahu's chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to impede the investigative process regarding the leak to foreign media.
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