Benjamin Netanyahu: Longest-Serving PM

Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

Israeli politician and Likud leader who is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, in office 1996–1999, 2009–2021, and again from December 2022.
How many times has Netanyahu served as prime minister?
What ICC action has been taken against Netanyahu?
What criminal charges does he face in Israel?

Leaders & ThinkersUpdated June 22, 2026

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Timeline

21 October 1949
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (born in Tel Aviv) is the leader of Israel's Likud party and the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history.
7 October 2023
After the Hamas attack of , Netanyahu led Israel's war in Gaza, and on 21 November 2024 the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him…
21 November 2024
After the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, Netanyahu led Israel's war in Gaza, and on the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him a…

Research it like a delegate

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In September 2020, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the Abraham Accords at the White House, normalizing diplomatic ties between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

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Timeline

21 October 1949

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (born in Tel Aviv) is the leader of Israel's Likud party and the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history.

7 October 2023

After the Hamas attack of , Netanyahu led Israel's war in Gaza, and on 21 November 2024 the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him…

21 November 2024

After the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, Netanyahu led Israel's war in Gaza, and on the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him a…

Research it like a delegate

Educated at MIT (architecture and management) and shaped by service in the IDF's elite Sayeret Matkal unit, Netanyahu entered diplomacy as Israel's Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington and then Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1984–1988). He first won the premiership in 1996, narrowly defeating Shimon Peres months after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and signed the Hebron Protocol (1997) and the Wye River Memorandum (1998) with the Palestinian Authority.

Returning to power in 2009, he became closely identified with:

A hard line on Iran's nuclear program, including his March 2015 address to the U.S. Congress opposing the JCPOA.
The Abraham Accords (September 2020), normalizing Israel's relations with the UAE and Bahrain, brokered by the Trump administration.
Expansion of West Bank settlements and opposition to a Palestinian state on the 1967 lines.

His later tenures have been marked by serious controversies. He was indicted in November 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust (Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000); the trial is ongoing. In 2023 his government advanced a judicial overhaul that triggered mass protests. After the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, Netanyahu led Israel's war in Gaza, and on 21 November 2024 the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza — a warrant Israel rejects.

His brother Yonatan Netanyahu commanded and was killed during the 1976 Entebbe rescue, an event Netanyahu often cites as formative.

Frequently asked questions

How many times has Netanyahu served as prime minister?

He has served across three non-consecutive periods: 1996–1999, 2009–2021, and from December 2022 to the present, making him Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

What ICC action has been taken against Netanyahu?

On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel does not recognize the court's jurisdiction.

What criminal charges does he face in Israel?

He was indicted in November 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three cases known as 1000, 2000, and 4000. The trial began in May 2020 and remains ongoing.