Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu | |
|---|---|
בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ | |
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Prime Minister of Israel | |
| Assumed office 29 December 2022 | |
| President | Isaac Herzog |
| Deputy | Yariv Levin |
| Preceded by | Yair Lapid |
| In office 31 March 2009 – 13 June 2021 | |
| President | |
| Alternate | Benny Gantz (2020–2021) |
| Preceded by | Ehud Olmert |
| Succeeded by | Naftali Bennett |
| In office 18 June 1996 – 6 July 1999 | |
| President | Ezer Weizman |
| Preceded by | Shimon Peres |
| Succeeded by | Ehud Barak |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 28 June 2021[1] – 29 December 2022 | |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Yair Lapid |
| Succeeded by | Yair Lapid |
| In office 16 January 2006 – 31 March 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Ehud Olmert |
| Preceded by | Amir Peretz |
| Succeeded by | Tzipi Livni |
| In office 3 February 1993 – 18 June 1996 | |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Yitzhak Shamir |
| Succeeded by | Shimon Peres |
| Chairman of Likud | |
| Assumed office 20 December 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Ariel Sharon |
| In office 3 February 1993 – 6 July 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Yitzhak Shamir |
| Succeeded by | Ariel Sharon |
| Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations | |
| In office 1 September 1984 – 1 March 1988 | |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Yehuda Zvi Blum |
| Succeeded by | Yohanan Bein |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 1996–1997 | Science and Technology |
| 1996–1999 | Housing and Construction |
| 2002–2003 | Foreign Affairs |
| 2003–2005 | Finance |
| 2009–2013 | |
| 2012–2013 | Foreign Affairs |
| 2013 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 October 1949 Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Political party | Likud (since 1988) |
| Other political affiliations | Herut (until 1988) |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 (including Yair) |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives |
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| Education | |
| Occupation |
|
| Cabinet | |
| Awards | Jabotinsky Medal (1980) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | www |
| Nickname | Bibi |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1967–1973 |
| Rank | Séren (Captain) |
| Unit | Sayeret Matkal |
| Battles/wars | |
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu[a] (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician and diplomat who has served as Prime Minister of Israel since 2022. Having previously held office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
Born in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu was raised in West Jerusalem and the United States. He returned to Israel in 1967 to join the Israel Defense Forces and served in the Sayeret Matkal special forces. In 1972, he returned to the US, and after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Netanyahu worked for the Boston Consulting Group. He moved back to Israel in 1978 and founded the Yonatan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute. Between 1984 and 1988 Netanyahu was Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. Netanyahu rose to prominence after his election as chair of Likud in 1993, becoming leader of the opposition. In the 1996 general election, Netanyahu became the first Israeli prime minister elected directly by popular vote. Netanyahu was defeated in the 1999 election and entered the private sector. He returned and served as minister of foreign affairs and finance, initiating economic reforms, before resigning over the Gaza disengagement plan.
Netanyahu returned to lead Likud in 2005, leading the opposition between 2006 and 2009. After the 2009 legislative election, Netanyahu formed a coalition with other right-wing parties and became prime minister again. Netanyahu made his closeness to Donald Trump central to his appeal from 2016. During Trump's first presidency, the US recognized Jerusalem as capital of Israel, Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokered the Abraham Accords between Israel and the Arab world. Netanyahu received criticism over expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, deemed illegal under international law. In 2019, Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud, and relinquished all ministerial posts except prime minister. The 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis resulted in a rotation agreement between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz. This collapsed in 2020, leading to a 2021 election. In June 2021, Netanyahu was removed from the premiership, before returning after the 2022 election.
Netanyahu's premierships have been criticized for perceived democratic backsliding and an alleged shift towards authoritarianism. Netanyahu's coalition pursued judicial reform, which was met with large-scale protests in early 2023. The October 7 attacks by Hamas-led Palestinian groups in the same year triggered the Gaza war, with Netanyahu facing nationwide protests for the security lapse during the attack and failure to secure the return of Israeli hostages. In October 2024, he survived an assassination attempt and ordered an invasion of Lebanon with the stated goal of destroying the military capabilities of Hezbollah, a key ally of Hamas that helped them since the 7 October attack. After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Netanyahu directed an invasion of Syria against the current Syrian government. He also presided over the 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran, which escalated into the Iran–Israel war.
Netanyahu's government has been accused of orchestrating a genocide in Gaza, culminating in the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in November 2024 for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity as part of the ICC investigation in Palestine.
Early life, education, and military career
Netanyahu was born in 1949 in Tel Aviv.[3][4] His mother, Tzila Segal (1912–2000), was born in Petah Tikva in the Ottoman Empire's Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem — her family had migrated from Minneapolis in 1911, having relocated there from Lithuania in the 1870s[5] — and studied law at Gray's Inn, London.[6][7][8] His father, Warsaw-born Benzion Netanyahu (né Mileikowsky; 1910–2012), was a historian specializing in the Jewish Golden Age of Spain. His paternal grandfather, Nathan Mileikowsky, was a rabbi and Zionist writer. When Netanyahu's father immigrated to Mandatory Palestine, he adopted a Hebrew surname of "Netanyahu", meaning "God has given." While his family is predominantly Ashkenazi, he has said that a DNA test revealed him to have some Sephardic ancestry. He claims descent from the Vilna Gaon.[9][10]
Netanyahu was the second of three children. He was initially raised and educated in Jerusalem, where he attended Henrietta Szold Elementary School. A copy of his evaluation from his 6th grade teacher Ruth Rubenstein indicated that Netanyahu was courteous, polite, and helpful; that he was "responsible and punctual"; and that he was friendly, disciplined, cheerful, brave, active, and obedient.[11]
Between 1956 and 1958, and again from 1963 to 1967,[12] his family lived in the United States in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, while father Benzion Netanyahu taught at Dropsie College.[13] Benjamin attended and graduated from Cheltenham High School and was active in the debate club, chess club, and soccer.[13] He and his brother Yonatan grew dissatisfied with what they saw as the superficial way of life they encountered in the area, including the prevalent youth counterculture movement and the liberal sensibilities of the Reform synagogue, Temple Judea of Philadelphia, that the family attended.[13]
After graduating from high school in 1967, Netanyahu returned to Israel to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. He trained as a combat soldier and served for five years in a special forces unit of the IDF, Sayeret Matkal. He took part in numerous cross-border raids during the 1967–70 War of Attrition, including the March 1968 Battle of Karameh, when the IDF attacked Jordan to capture PLO leader Yasser Arafat but were repulsed with heavy casualties.[14][15] He became a team-leader in the unit. He was wounded in combat on multiple occasions.[16] He was involved in many other missions, including the 1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon and the rescue of the hijacked Sabena Flight 571 in May 1972, in which he was shot in the shoulder.[17][4] He was discharged from active service in 1972 but remained in the Sayeret Matkal reserves. Following his discharge, he left to study in the United States but returned in October 1973 to serve in the Yom Kippur War.[18][19]
Higher education
Netanyahu returned to the United States in late 1972 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After returning to Israel to fight in the Yom Kippur War, he returned to the United States and, under the name Ben Nitay, completed a bachelor's degree[20] in architecture[21] in February 1975 and earned a master's degree[20] from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1976.[22][23] Concurrently, he was studying towards a doctorate[19] in political science.[24][25] His studies were broken off by the death of his brother Yonatan who was leading the Entebbe raid.[19][26]
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At MIT, Netanyahu studied a double-load while taking courses at Harvard University, completing his bachelor's degree in architecture in two and a half years, despite taking a break to fight in the Yom Kippur War. Professor Leon B. Groisser at MIT recalled: "He did superbly. He was very bright. Organized. Strong. Powerful. He knew what he wanted to do and how to get it done."[19]
At that time he changed his name to Benjamin "Ben" Nitai (Nitai, a reference to both Mount Nitai and to the eponymous Jewish sage Nittai of Arbela, was a pen name often used by his father for articles).[27] Years later, in an interview with the media, Netanyahu clarified that he decided to do so to make it easier for Americans to pronounce his name. This fact has been used by his political rivals to accuse him indirectly of a lack of Israeli national identity and loyalty.[28]
Early career
Netanyahu worked as an economic consultant[29] for the Boston Consulting Group in Boston, Massachusetts, working at the company between 1976 and 1978. At the Boston Consulting Group, he was a colleague of Mitt Romney, with whom he formed a lasting friendship. Romney described Netanyahu at the time as "a strong personality with a distinct point of view".[30] Netanyahu said that their "easy communication" was a result of "B.C.G.'s intellectually rigorous boot camp".[30]
In 1978, Netanyahu appeared on Boston local television, under the name "Ben Nitay", where he argued: "The real core of the conflict is the unfortunate Arab refusal to accept the State of Israel ... For 20 years the Arabs had both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and if self-determination, as they now say, is the core of the conflict, they could have easily established a Palestinian state."[31]
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In 1978, Netanyahu returned to Israel. Between 1978 and 1980, he ran the Jonathan Netanyahu Anti-Terror Institute,[12] a non-governmental organization devoted to the study of terrorism. From 1980 to 1982, he was director of marketing for Rim Industries in Jerusalem.[32]
Moshe Arens appointed him as his Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., while Arens was ambassador to the United States, a position he held from 1982 until 1984.[33] During the 1982 Lebanon War, he was called up for reserve duty in Sayeret Matkal and requested to be released from service, preferring to remain in the US and serve as a spokesperson for Israel in the wake of harsh international criticism of the war. He presented Israel's case to the media during the war and established a highly efficient public relations system in the Israeli embassy.[34] Between 1984 and 1988, Netanyahu served as the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.[33] Netanyahu was influenced by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, with whom he formed a relationship during the 1980s. He referred to Schneerson as "the most influential man of our time".[35][36][37] Also during the 1980s, Netanyahu became friends with Fred Trump, the father of future U.S. president Donald Trump.[38]
Leader of the Opposition (1993–1996)
Prior to the 1988 Israeli legislative election, Netanyahu returned to Israel and joined the Likud party. In the Likud's internal elections, Netanyahu was placed fifth on the party list. Later on he was elected as a Knesset member of the 12th Knesset, and was appointed as a deputy of the foreign minister Moshe Arens, and later on David Levy. Netanyahu and Levy did not cooperate and the rivalry between the two only intensified afterwards. During the Gulf War in early 1991, the English-fluent Netanyahu emerged as the principal spokesman for Israel in media interviews on CNN and other news outlets. During the Madrid Conference of 1991 Netanyahu was a member of the Israeli delegation headed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. After the Madrid Conference Netanyahu was appointed as Deputy Minister in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.[33]
Following the defeat of the Likud party in the 1992 Israeli legislative elections the Likud party held a party leadership election in 1993, and Netanyahu was victorious, defeating Benny Begin, son of the late prime minister Menachem Begin, and veteran politician David Levy[39] (Sharon initially sought Likud party leadership as well, but quickly withdrew when it was evident that he was attracting minimal support). Shamir retired from politics shortly after the Likud's defeat in the 1992 elections.[40]
Following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords, Rabin's temporary successor Shimon Peres decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process.[41] Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for prime minister in the 1996 Israeli legislative election which took place on 29 May 1996 and were the first Israeli elections in which Israelis elected their prime minister directly.[42] Netanyahu hired American political operative Arthur Finkelstein to run his campaign.[43] Netanyahu won the 1996 election, becoming the youngest person in the history of the position and the first Israeli prime minister to be born in the State of Israel (Yitzhak Rabin was born in Jerusalem, under the British Mandate of Palestine, prior to the 1948 founding of the Israeli state).[42]
Netanyahu's victory over the pre-election favorite Shimon Peres surprised many. The main catalyst in the downfall of the latter was a wave of suicide bombings shortly before the elections; on 3 and 4 March 1996, Palestinians carried out two suicide bombings, killing 32 Israelis, with Peres seemingly unable to stop the attacks. During the campaign, Netanyahu stressed that progress in the peace process would be based on the Palestinian National Authority fulfilling its obligations – mainly fighting terrorism – and the Likud campaign slogan was, "Netanyahu – making a safe peace". Although Netanyahu won the election for prime minister, Peres's Israeli Labor Party received more seats in the Knesset elections. Netanyahu had to rely on a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties, Shas and UTJ in order to form a government.[44]
Prime Minister (1996–1999)
First term
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The months leading up to the 1996 Israeli election were marred by a series of Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. After the Shin Bet assassinated Hamas military leader Yahya Ayyash on 5 January 1996, Mohammed Deif, now commander of the Qassam Brigades, organized a bombing campaign inside Israel as retaliation, including the Dizengoff Center suicide bombing and Jaffa Road bus bombings. It has been alleged that Syria and Iran had helped in their planning and financing. According to a report, Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlass instructed Ghazi Kanaan to establish links between Hezbollah and Hamas fighters, who were then trained both in Lebanon and Iran and participated in the retaliatory operations for the murder of Ayyash.[45][46] According to Mike Kelly, Hamas operative Hassan Salameh, who planned three of the attacks, was trained in Iran.[47]
According to Ronen Bergman, Deif's bombing campaign and the Israeli intelligence services failure to prevent it, was a factor that led to the defeat of Prime Minister Shimon Peres and the Israeli Labor Party in the 1996 Israeli general election and the victory of the Likud party of Netanyahu, who opposed the Oslo Accords. Bergman writes that "after the election, the attacks stopped for almost a year. Some said this was because of Arafat's campaign against Hamas, and the arrest of many members of its military wing. Others believed that Hamas no longer had any reason to carry out suicide attacks, because Netanyahu had already almost completely stopped the peace process, which was the short-term goal of the attacks anyway."[48]
Netanyahu first met Palestinian President Arafat on 4 September 1996. Prior to the meeting, the two leaders spoke by telephone.[49] The meetings would continue through Autumn 1996. On their first meeting, Netanyahu said: "I would like to emphasize that we have to take into account the needs and the requirements of both sides on the basis of reciprocity and the assurance of the security and well-being of both Israelis and Palestinian alike." Arafat said: "We are determined to work with Mr. Netanyahu and with his government."[50] The talks culminated on 14 January 1997, in the signing of the Hebron Protocol.[51]
In 1996, Netanyahu and Jerusalem's mayor Ehud Olmert decided to open an exit in the Arab Quarter for the Western Wall Tunnel, which prior prime minister Shimon Peres had instructed to be put on hold for the sake of peace.[52] This sparked three days of rioting by Palestinians, resulting in dozens of both Israelis and Palestinians being killed.[53]
Eventually, the lack of progress of the peace process led to new negotiations which produced the Wye River Memorandum in 1998 which detailed the steps to be taken by the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 1995. It was signed by Netanyahu and PLO chairman Arafat, and on 17 November 1998, Israel's 120 member parliament, the Knesset, approved the Wye River Memorandum by a vote of 75–19. In a nod to the 1967 Khartoum conference, Netanyahu emphasized a policy of "three no(s)": no withdrawal from the Golan Heights, no discussion of the case of Jerusalem, no negotiations under any preconditions.[54]
In 1997 Ali Fallahian, the Iranian Intelligence Minister, authorized a new Hamas bombing campaign to further disrupt the peace process, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, then living in Amman, Jordan, picked Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, an expert bomb-maker in the West Bank, to construct the bombs, and sent five suicide bombers to detonate them simultaneously in Jerusalem in the 30 July Mahane Yehuda market bombings and 4 September Ben Yehuda street bombings, killing 21 Israelis.[55][56][57] In 1997, Netanyahu authorized a Mossad operation to assassinate Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Jordan, just three years after the two countries had signed a peace treaty.[58] The Mossad team, covering as five Canadian tourists, entered Jordan on 27 September 1997 and injected poison into Mashal's ears in a street in Amman.[58] The plot was exposed and two agents were arrested by the Jordanian police while three others hid in the Israeli embassy which was then surrounded by troops.[58] An angry King Hussein demanded Israel to give out the antidote and threatened to annul the peace treaty.[59] Netanyahu relented to the demands after pressure by US President Bill Clinton and ordered the release of 61 Jordanian and Palestinian prisoners including Sheikh Ahmad Yassin.[58] The incident sent the nascent Israeli-Jordanian relations plummeting.[59]
According to Bergman based on internal IDF sources, Mashal's antidote only secured the release of the two Mossad Kidon agents that were carrying out the assassination attempt. At least six other Mossad agents involved in the operations were holed up in the Israeli embassy. King Hussein would only release them if Israel released Ahmed Yassin and a large number of other Palestinian prisoners. Hussein needed the demands to be "enough to enable the king to be able to publicly defend the release of the hit team."[60]
On the same day that Hamas bombed Ben Yehuda street, Hezbollah executed the Ansariya ambush on the IDF's naval special forces Shayetet 13, killing 12 Israeli commandos. On 25 May 1998, the remains and body parts of at least three soldiers who died in the Ansariya ambush were exchanged for 65 Lebanese prisoners and the bodies of 40 Hizbullah fighters and Lebanese soldiers captured by Israel.[61] Netanyahu called it "one of the worst tragedies that has ever occurred to us".[62]
During his term, Netanyahu also began a process of economic liberalization, taking steps towards a free-market economy. Under his watch, the government began selling its shares in banks and major state-run companies. Netanyahu also greatly eased Israel's strict foreign exchange controls, enabling Israelis to take an unrestricted amount of money out of the country, open foreign bank accounts, hold foreign currency, and invest freely in other countries.[63][64]
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Throughout his term, Netanyahu was opposed by the political left wing in Israel and lost support from the right because of his concessions to the Palestinians in Hebron and elsewhere, and due to his negotiations with Arafat generally. Netanyahu lost favor with the Israeli public after a long chain of scandals involving his marriage and corruption charges. In 1997, police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted on corruption charges for influence-peddling. He was accused of appointing an attorney general who would reduce the charges but prosecutors ruled that there was insufficient evidence to go to trial.[65] In 1999, Netanyahu faced another scandal when the Israel Police recommended that he be tried for corruption for $100,000 in free services from a government contractor; Israel's attorney general did not prosecute, citing difficulties with evidence.[66] The major Israeli failures against Hamas and Hezbollah under Netanyahu's first premiership and their results in the subsequent releases of imprisoned Palestinian and Lebanese leaders from Israeli jails are thought to have dealt a blow to Netanyahu's rhetoric of a "tough stance" towards enemies of Israel, and to have played a role in his defeat in the 1999 Israeli general election.[67]
Political hiatus (1999–2003)
After being defeated by Ehud Barak in the 1999 Israeli prime ministerial election, Netanyahu temporarily retired from politics.[68] He subsequently served as a senior consultant with Israeli communications equipment manufacturer BATM Advanced Communications for two years.[69][70]
With the fall of the Barak government in late 2000, Netanyahu expressed his desire to return to politics. By law, Barak's resignation was supposed to lead to elections for the prime minister position only. Netanyahu insisted that general elections should be held, claiming that otherwise it would be impossible to have a stable government. Netanyahu decided eventually not to run for the prime minister position, a move which facilitated the rise to power of Ariel Sharon, who at the time was considered less popular than Netanyahu. In 2002, after the Israeli Labor Party left the coalition and vacated the position of foreign minister, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Netanyahu as foreign minister.[33] Netanyahu challenged Sharon for the leadership of the Likud party in the 2002 Likud leadership election, but failed to oust him.[71]
On 9 September 2002, a scheduled speech by Netanyahu at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada was canceled after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed security and smashed through a window. Netanyahu was not present at the protest, having remained at his hotel throughout the duration. He later accused the activists of supporting terrorism and "mad zealotry".[72] Weeks later in October around 200 protesters met Netanyahu outside his Heinz Hall appearance in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Police, Israeli security and a Pittsburgh SWAT unit allowed his speeches to continue downtown at the hall and the Duquesne Club as well as suburban Robert Morris University.[73]
On 12 September 2002, Netanyahu lobbied for the invasion of Iraq, testifying under oath as a private citizen before the U.S. House of Representatives Government Reform Committee regarding the alleged nuclear threat posed by the Iraqi régime: "There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking and is working and is advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons…"[74][75] He also testified, "If you take out Saddam, Saddam's regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region."[75]
Minister of Finance (2003–2005)
After the 2003 Israeli legislative election, in what many observers regarded as a surprise move, Sharon offered the Foreign Ministry to Silvan Shalom and offered Netanyahu the Finance Ministry. Some pundits speculated that Sharon made the move because he deemed Netanyahu a political threat given his demonstrated effectiveness as foreign minister, and that by placing him in the Finance Ministry during a time of economic uncertainty, he could diminish Netanyahu's popularity. Netanyahu accepted the new appointment. Sharon and Netanyahu came to an agreement that Netanyahu would have complete freedom as finance minister and have Sharon back all of his reforms, in exchange for Netanyahu's silence over Sharon's management of Israel's military and foreign affairs.[76]
As finance minister, Netanyahu undertook an economic plan in order to restore Israel's economy from its low point during the Second Intifada.[77][78] Netanyahu claimed that a bloated public sector and excessive regulations were largely responsible for stifling economic growth. His plan involved a move toward more liberalized markets, although it was not without its critics. He instituted a program to end welfare dependency by requiring people to apply for jobs or training, reduced the size of the public sector, froze government spending for three years, and capped the budget deficit at 1%. The taxation system was streamlined and taxes were cut, with the top individual tax rate reduced from 64% to 44% and the corporate tax rate from 36% to 18%. A host of state assets worth billions of dollars were privatized, including banks, oil refineries, the El Al national airline, and Zim Integrated Shipping Services. The retirement ages for both men and women were raised, and currency exchange laws were further liberalized. Commercial banks were forced to spin off their long-term savings. In addition, Netanyahu attacked monopolies and cartels to increase competition. As the Israeli economy started booming and unemployment fell significantly, Netanyahu was widely credited by commentators as having performed an 'economic miracle' by the end of his tenure.[76][79][80]
However, opponents in the Labor party (and even a few within his own Likud) viewed Netanyahu's policies as "Thatcherite" attacks on the venerated Israeli social safety net.[81] Ultimately, unemployment declined while economic growth soared, the debt-to-GDP ratio dropped to one of the lowest in the world, and foreign investment reached record highs.[76]
Netanyahu threatened to resign from office in 2004 unless the Gaza pullout plan was put to a referendum. He later modified the ultimatum and voted for the program in the Knesset, indicating immediately thereafter that he would resign unless a referendum was held within 14 days.[82] He submitted his resignation letter on 7 August 2005, shortly before the Israeli cabinet voted 17 to 5 to approve the initial phase of withdrawal from Gaza.[83]
Leader of the Opposition (2006–2009)
Following the withdrawal of Sharon from the Likud, Netanyahu was one of several candidates who vied for the Likud leadership.[84] His most recent attempt prior to this was in September 2005 when he had tried to hold early primaries for the position of the head of the Likud party, while the party held the office of prime minister – thus effectively pushing Ariel Sharon out of office. The party rejected this initiative. Netanyahu retook the leadership on 20 December 2005, with 47% of the primary vote, to 32% for Silvan Shalom and 15% for Moshe Feiglin.[84] In the March 2006 Knesset elections, Likud took the third place behind Kadima and Labor and Netanyahu served as Leader of the Opposition.[85] On 14 August 2007, Netanyahu was reelected as chairman of the Likud and its candidate for the post of prime minister with 73% of the vote, against far-right candidate Moshe Feiglin and World Likud chairman Danny Danon.[86] He opposed the 2008 Israel–Hamas ceasefire, like others in the Knesset opposition. Specifically, Netanyahu said: "This is not a relaxation, it's an Israeli agreement to the rearming of Hamas ... What are we getting for this?"[87]
Following Tzipi Livni's election to head Kadima and Olmert's resignation from the post of prime minister, Netanyahu declined to join the coalition Livni was trying to form and supported new elections, which were held in February 2009.[88][89] Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for prime minister in the 2009 Israeli legislative election which took place on 10 February 2009, as Livni, the previous designated acting prime minister under the Olmert government, had been unable to form a viable governing coalition. Opinion polls showed Likud in the lead, but with as many as a third of Israeli voters undecided.[90]
In the election itself, Likud won the second highest number of seats, Livni's party having outnumbered the Likud by one seat. A possible explanation for Likud's relatively poor showing is that some Likud supporters defected to Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party. Netanyahu, however, claimed victory on the basis that right-wing parties won the majority of the vote, and on 20 February 2009, Netanyahu was designated by Israeli President Shimon Peres to succeed Ehud Olmert as prime minister, and began his negotiations to form a coalition government.[91]
Despite right wing parties winning a majority of 65 seats in the Knesset, Netanyahu preferred a broader centrist coalition and turned to his Kadima rivals, chaired by Tzipi Livni, to join his government. This time it was Livni's turn to decline to join, with a difference of opinion on how to pursue the peace process being the stumbling block. Netanyahu did manage to entice a smaller rival, the Labor Party, chaired by Ehud Barak, to join his government, giving him a certain amount of centrist tone. Netanyahu presented his cabinet for a Knesset "Vote of Confidence" on 31 March 2009. The 32nd Government was approved that day by a majority of 69 lawmakers to 45 (with five abstaining) and the members were sworn in.[92][93]
Prime minister (2009–2021)
Second term
In 2009, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced support for the establishment of a Palestinian state – a solution not endorsed by prime minister-designate Netanyahu,[94] with whom she had earlier pledged the United States' cooperation.[95] Upon the arrival of President Obama administration's special envoy, George Mitchell, Netanyahu said that any furtherance of negotiations with the Palestinians would be conditioned on the Palestinians recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.[96]
During President Obama's Cairo speech on 4 June 2009 in which Obama addressed the Muslim world, Obama stated, among other things, "The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements." Following Obama's Cairo speech Netanyahu immediately called a special government meeting.[97] On 14 June, ten days after Obama's Cairo speech, Netanyahu gave a speech at Bar-Ilan University in which he endorsed a "Demilitarized Palestinian State".[98] Netanyahu stated that he would accept a Palestinian state if Jerusalem were to remain the united capital of Israel, the Palestinians would have no army, and the Palestinians would give up their demand for a right of return. He also argued the right for a "natural growth" in the existing Jewish settlements in the West Bank while their permanent status is up to further negotiation.[97] The speech was broadcast live in Israel and across parts of the Arab world. He endorsed for the first time the notion of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.[99] He stated that he would be willing to meet with any "Arab leader" for negotiations without preconditions, specifically mentioning Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon.[99] The address represented a new position for Netanyahu's government on the peace process.[100]
Right-wing members of Netanyahu's governing coalition criticized his remarks for the creation of a Palestinian State, believing all of the land should come under Israeli sovereignty. Likud MK Danny Danon said Netanyahu went "against the Likud platform",[101] MK Uri Orbach of Habayit Hayehudi said it had "dangerous implications".[102] Opposition party Kadima leader Tzipi Livni opined that Netanyahu did not really believe in the two-state solution and that his speech was a response to international pressure.[103]
Netanyahu's speech provoked mixed reaction internationally.[104] The Palestinian National Authority rejected the conditions on a Palestinian State.[105] Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said that the speech had "closed the door to permanent status negotiations" due to Netanyahu's declarations on Jerusalem, refugees and settlements.[97] Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said it was "racist"[105] and called on Arab nations to "form stronger opposition".[100] The Arab League dismissed the speech, declaring that "Arabs would not make concessions regarding issues of Jerusalem and refugees".[106] The Czech Republic Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country held the EU's presidency at the time, said "...this is a step in the right direction. The acceptance of a Palestinian state was present there".[107] President Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said the speech was an "important step forward".[106][108] Obama said "this solution can and must ensure both Israel's security and the Palestinians' legitimate aspirations for a viable state".[104] France praised the speech and called on Israel to cease building settlements in the West Bank.[104][107]
Three months after starting his term, Netanyahu remarked that his cabinet already had achieved several successes, such as the establishment of a working national unity government, and a broad consensus for a "two-state solution".[109] A July 2009 survey by Ha'aretz found that most Israelis supported the Netanyahu government, giving him a personal approval rating of about 49 percent.[110] Netanyahu has lifted checkpoints in the West Bank in order to allow freedom of movement and a flow of imports; a step that resulted in an economic boost in the West Bank.[111][112][113] In 2009, Netanyahu welcomed the Arab Peace initiative (also known as the "Saudi Peace Initiative") and lauded a call by Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to normalize relations with Israel.[114][115]
On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of a government meeting, Netanyahu said: "We want an agreement with two factors, the first of which is the recognition of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and (the second of which is) a security settlement".[116] In August 2009, Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas declared that he would be willing to meet with Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly, where Netanyahu had accepted president Obama's invitation for a "triple summit", although he said it would not necessarily lead to negotiations.[117] Netanyahu was reported to be in a pivotal moment over these understandings, that were reported to include a compromise over permission on continuing the already approved construction in the West Bank in exchange for freezing all settlements thereafter, as well as continuing building in East Jerusalem, and at the same time stopping the demolition of houses of Arab inhabitants there.[118] On 4 September 2009, it was reported that Netanyahu was to agree to settlers' political demands to approve more settlement constructions before a temporary settlement freeze agreement took place.[119] White House spokesman Robert Gibbs expressed "regret" over the move;[120] however, one U.S. official said the move will not "derail [the] train".[121]
On 7 September 2009, Netanyahu left his office without reporting his destination. The prime minister's military secretary later reported Netanyahu had visited a security facility in Israel.[122] Various news agencies reported different stories about his whereabouts.[123] On 9 September 2009, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli leader had made a secret flight to Moscow to try to persuade Russian officials not to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran.[122][124][125] Headlines branded Netanyahu a "liar" and dubbed the affair a "fiasco".[126][127] The PM's military secretary was later reportedly dismissed due to the affair.[128] The Sunday Times reported that the trip was made to share the names of Russian scientists that Israel believes are abetting the alleged Iranian nuclear weapons program.[129]
On 24 September 2009, in an address to the UN General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu said Iran poses a threat to the peace of the world and that it is incumbent on the world body to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.[130][131] Waving the blueprints for Auschwitz and invoking the memory of his own family members murdered by the Nazis, Netanyahu delivered a passionate and public riposte to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's questioning of the Holocaust, asking: "Have you no shame?"[132]
In response to pressure from the Obama administration urging the resumption of peace talks, on 25 November 2009 Netanyahu announced a partial 10-month settlement construction freeze plan. The announced partial freeze had no significant effect on actual settlement construction, according to an analysis by Haaretz.[133] U.S. special envoy George Mitchell said, "while the United States shares Arab concerns about the limitations of Israel's gesture, it is more than any Israeli government has ever done".[134] In his announcement Netanyahu called the move "a painful step that will encourage the peace process" and urged the Palestinians to respond.[135] The Palestinians rejected the call, stating the gesture was "insignificant" in that thousands of recently approved settlement buildings in the West Bank would continue to be built and there would be no freeze of settlement activity in East Jerusalem.[136]
In March 2010, Israel's government approved construction of an additional 1,600 apartments in a large Jewish housing development in northern East Jerusalem called Ramat Shlomo[137] despite the position of the current U.S. Government that acts such as this thwart the peace talks. The Israeli government's announcement occurred during a visit by U.S. Vice-president Joe Biden and the U.S. government issued a strongly worded condemnation of the plan.[138] Netanyahu issued a statement that all previous Israeli governments had continuously permitted construction in the neighborhood, and that certain neighborhoods such as Ramat Shlomo and Gilo have always been included as part of Israel in any final agreement plan that has been proposed by either side to date.[137] Netanyahu regretted the timing of the announcement but asserted that "our policy on Jerusalem is the same policy followed by all Israeli governments for the 42 years, and it has not changed."[139]
In September 2010, Netanyahu agreed to enter direct talks, mediated by the Obama administration, with the Palestinians.[140] The ultimate aim of these direct talks is to forge the framework of an official "final status settlement" to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by forming a two-state solution for the Jewish people and the Palestinian people. On 27 September, the 10-month settlement freeze ended, and the Israeli government approved new construction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.[141] On retiring from office in July 2011, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that Netanyahu was ungrateful to the United States and endangering Israel. Responding, the Likud party defended Netanyahu by saying that most Israelis supported the prime minister and that he had broad support in the United States.[142][143]
Netanyahu unsuccessfully called for the early release of Jonathan Pollard, an American serving a life sentence for passing secret U.S. documents to Israel in 1987.[144] He has raised the issue at the Wye River Summit in 1998, where he claimed that U.S. president Bill Clinton had privately agreed to release Pollard.[145][146] In 2002, Netanyahu visited Pollard at his North Carolina prison.[147][148] The Israeli prime minister maintained contact with Pollard's wife, and was active in pressing the Obama administration to release Pollard.[149][150]
In 2011, social justice protests broke out across Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people protested Israel's high cost of living throughout the country. In response, Netanyahu appointed the Trajtenberg Committee, headed by professor Manuel Trajtenberg, to examine the problems and propose solutions. The committee submitted recommendations to lower the high cost of living in September 2011.[151] Although Netanyahu promised to push the proposed reforms through the cabinet in one piece, differences inside his coalition resulted in the reforms being gradually adopted.[152][153]
Netanyahu's cabinet also approved a plan to build a fiber-optic cable network across the country to bring cheap, high-speed fiber-optic Internet access to every home.[154][155]
In 2012, Netanyahu initially planned to call early elections, but subsequently oversaw the creation of a government of national unity to see Israel through until the national elections of 2013.[156] In May 2012, Netanyahu officially recognized for the first time the right for Palestinians to have their own state in an official document, a letter to Mahmoud Abbas, though as before[98] he declared it would have to be demilitarized.[157] On 25 October 2012, Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that their respective political parties, Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu, had merged and would run together on a single ballot in Israel's 22 January 2013 general elections.[158]
Third term
The 2013 election returned Netanyahu's Likud Beiteinu coalition with 11 fewer seats than the combined Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu parties had going into the vote.[159] Israeli president Shimon Peres charged Netanyahu with the task of forming the Thirty-third government of Israel.[160][92][93] During Netanyahu's third term, he continued his policy of economic liberalization. In December 2013, the Knesset approved the Business Concentration Law, which intended to open Israel's highly concentrated economy to competition to lower consumer prices, reduce income inequality, and increase economic growth. Netanyahu had formed the Concentration Committee in 2010, and the bill, which was pushed forward by his government, implemented its recommendations. The new law banned multi-tiered corporate holding structures, in which a CEO's family members or other affiliated individuals held public companies which in turn owned other public companies, and who were thus able to engage in price gouging. Under the law, corporations were banned from owning more than two tiers of publicly listed companies and from holding both financial and non-financial enterprises. All conglomerates were given four to six years to sell excess holdings.[161][162] Netanyahu also began a campaign of port privatization to break what he viewed as the monopoly held by workers of the Israel Port Authority, so as to lower consumer prices and increase exports. In July 2013, he issued tenders for the construction of private ports in Haifa and Ashdod.[163] Netanyahu has also pledged to curb excess bureaucracy and regulations to ease the burden on industry.[164]
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In April and June 2014, Netanyahu spoke of his deep concerns when Hamas and the Palestinian Authority agreed and then formed a unity government, and was severely critical of both the United States and European governments' decision to work with the Palestinian coalition government.[165] He blamed Hamas for the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June 2014,[166] and launched a massive search and arrest operation on the West Bank, targeting members of Hamas in particular, and over the following weeks hit 60 targets in Gaza.[167] Missile and rocket exchanges between Gaza militants and the IDF escalated after the bodies of the teenagers, who had been killed almost immediately as the government had good reasons to suspect, were discovered on 30 June 2014.[168] After several Hamas operatives were killed, Hamas officially declared it would launch rockets from Gaza into Israel,[167][169] and Israel started Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip, formally ending the November 2012 ceasefire agreement.[170] The prime minister did a round of television shows in the United States and described Hamas as "genocidal terrorists" in an interview on CNN.[171] When asked if Gazan casualties from the operation might spark "a third intifada", Netanyahu replied that Hamas was working towards that goal.[172]
In October 2014, Netanyahu's government approved a privatization plan to reduce corruption and politicization in government companies, and strengthen Israel's capital market. Under the plan, minority stakes of up to 49% in state-owned companies, including arms manufacturers, energy, postal, water, and railway companies, as well as the ports of Haifa and Ashdod.[173] That same month, Netanyahu called criticism of settlements "against the American values", which earned him rebuke from the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, who said that American values had resulted in Israel receiving consistent funding and protective technology such as Iron Dome. Netanyahu explained that he does not accept residency restrictions for Jews, and said that Jerusalem's Arabs and Jews should be able to buy homes wherever they want. He said he was "baffled" by the American condemnation. "It's against the American values. And it doesn't bode well for peace. The idea that we'd have this ethnic purification as a condition for peace, I think it's anti-peace."[174][175][176] Later, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic reported that the relationship between Netanyahu and the White House had reached a new low, with the U.S. administration angry over Israel's settlement policies, and Netanyahu expressing contempt for the American administration's grasp of the Middle East.[177]
On 2 December 2014, Netanyahu fired ministers Yair Lapid, head of Yesh Atid, and Tzipi Livni, head of Hatnua. The changes led to the dissolution of the government, with new elections on 17 March 2015.[178]
Benjamin Netanyahu's 2015 address to the United States Congress marked Netanyahu's third speech to a joint session of Congress.[179] The day before announcing he would address Congress, Time reported that he tried to derail a meeting between U.S. lawmakers and the head of Mossad, Tamir Pardo, who intended warning them against imposing further sanctions against Iran, a move that might derail nuclear talks.[180][181] Leading up to the speech, Israeli consuls general in the United States "expect[ed] fierce negative reaction from U.S. Jewish communities and Israel's allies". Objections included the arrangement of the speech without the support and engagement of the Obama administration and the timing of the speech before Israel's March 2015 election. Seven American Jewish lawmakers met with Ron Dermer, Israel's ambassador to the U.S. and recommended that Netanyahu instead meet with lawmakers privately to discuss Iran.[182] In making the speech, Netanyahu claimed to speak for all Jews worldwide, a claim disputed by others in the Jewish community.[183][184][185][186]
As election day approached in what was perceived to be a close race in the 2015 Israeli elections, Netanyahu answered 'indeed' when asked whether a Palestinian state would not be established in his term. He said that support of a Palestinian state is tantamount to yielding territory for radical Islamic terrorists to attack Israel.[187] However, Netanyahu reiterated "I don't want a one-state solution. I want a peaceful, sustainable two-state solution. I have not changed my policy."[188]
Fourth term
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In the 2015 election, Netanyahu returned with his party Likud leading the elections with 30 mandates, making it the single highest number of seats for the Knesset. President Rivlin granted Netanyahu an extension until 6 May 2015 to build a coalition when one had not been finalized in the first four weeks of negotiations.[189] He formed a coalition government within two hours of the midnight 6 May deadline.[190] His Likud party formed the coalition with Jewish Home, United Torah Judaism, Kulanu, and Shas.[190][191]
In August 2015, Netanyahu's government approved a two-year budget that would see agricultural reforms and lowering of import duties to reduce food prices, deregulation of the approval process in construction to lower housing costs and speed up infrastructure building, and reforms in the financial sector to boost competition and lower fees for financial services.[192][193] In the end, the government was forced to compromise by removing some key agricultural reforms.[194]
In October 2015, Netanyahu caused commotion for saying the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini gave Adolf Hitler the idea of exterminating Jews rather than expelling them during the Second World War.[195][196][197] This claim is dismissed by most historians,[198] who say that al-Husseini's meeting with Hitler took place approximately five months after the mass murder of Jews began.[199] Some of the strongest criticism came from Israeli academics: Yehuda Bauer said Netanyahu's claim was "completely idiotic".[199] Moshe Zimmermann stated that "any attempt to deflect the burden from Hitler to others is a form of Holocaust denial."[200]
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 have stated they will leave the coalition if the government offers any further official state recognition of Conservative and Reform Judaism.[201]
On 23 December 2016, the United States, under the Obama Administration, abstained from United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, effectively allowing it to pass.[202] On 28 December, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry strongly criticized Israel and its settlement policies in a speech.[203] Netanyahu strongly criticized both the UN Resolution[204] and Kerry's speech[205] in response. On 6 January 2017, the Israeli government withdrew its annual dues from the organization, which totaled $6 million in United States dollars.[206]
In February 2017, Netanyahu became the first serving prime minister of Israel to visit Australia. He was accompanied by his wife, Sara. The three-day official visit included a delegation of business representatives, and Netanyahu and Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull were scheduled to sign several bilateral agreements. Netanyahu recalled that it was the Australian Light Horse regiments that liberated Beersheba during World War I, and this began what has been a relationship of 100 years between the countries.[207]
In October 2017, shortly after the US announced the same action, Netanyahu's government announced it was leaving UNESCO due to what it saw as anti-Israel actions by the agency,[208][209] and it made that decision official in December 2017.[210][211] The Israeli government officially notified UNESCO of the withdrawal in late December 2017.[212][213][214][215]
In April 2018, Netanyahu accused Iran of not holding up its end of the Iran nuclear deal after presenting a cache of over 100,000 documents detailing the extent of Iran's nuclear program. Iran denounced Netanyahu's presentation as "propaganda".[216]
Netanyahu praised the 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit. He said in a statement, "I commend US President Donald Trump on the historic summit in Singapore. This is an important step in the effort to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons."[217]
In July 2018, the Knesset passed the Nation-State Bill, a Basic Law supported by Netanyahu's coalition government.[218][219][220] Analysts saw the bill as a sign of Netanyahu's coalition advancing a right-wing agenda.[221]
Prior to the April 2019 Israeli legislative election, Netanyahu helped broker a deal that united the Jewish Home party[222] with the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, in order to form the Union of the Right-Wing Parties. The motivation of the deal was to overcome the electoral threshold for smaller parties. The deal was criticized in the media, as Otzma is widely characterized as racist and traces its origins to the extremist Kahanist movement.[223][224]
Criminal investigations and indictment
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.[225][226] 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.
In August 2017, Israeli police confirmed that Netanyahu was suspected of crimes involving fraud, breach of trust, and bribes in the two cases.[227] 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.[228]
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 the two cases. Netanyahu responded that the allegations were baseless and that he would continue as prime minister.[229] In November 2018, it was reported that Economic Crimes Division Director Liat Ben-Ari recommended indictment for both cases.[230]
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!.[231][232][229]
In February 2019, the Israeli attorney general announced his intent to file indictments against Netanyahu on bribe and fraud charges in the three cases.[233][234] Netanyahu was formally indicted on 21 November 2019.[235][236][237] 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.[238][239] He is the first sitting prime minister in Israel's history to be charged with a crime.[234][240][241] On 23 November 2019, it was announced that Netanyahu, in compliance with legal precedent set by the Israeli Supreme Court in 1993,[240] would relinquish his agriculture, health, social affairs and diaspora affairs portfolios.[240][241] The matter of forcing a prime minister to resign due to an indictment has yet to be tested in court.[240][241] He was officially charged on 28 January 2020.[242]
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.[243] As of April 2023, the criminal trial was still ongoing.[244]
Fifth term
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.[245] However, the exact opposite was achieved; the demonstrations were enlarged and dispersed to over 1,000 centers.[246] By March 2021, Israel became the country with the highest vaccinated population per capita in the world against COVID-19.[247]
After tensions escalated in Jerusalem in May 2021, Hamas fired rockets on Israel from Gaza, which prompted Netanyahu to initiate Operation Guardian of the Walls, lasting eleven days.[248] After the operation, Israeli politician and leader of the Yamina alliance Naftali Bennett announced that he had agreed to a deal with Leader of the Opposition Yair Lapid to form a rotation government that would oust Netanyahu from his position as prime minister.[249][250] On 13 June 2021, Bennett and Lapid formed a coalition government,[251] and Netanyahu was ousted as prime minister, ending his 12-year tenure.[252][253]
Leader of the Opposition (2021–2022)
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After the end of his second premiership, Netanyahu began his third stint as the leader of the opposition. Likud remained the largest party in the twenty-fourth Knesset.[254] He led the opposition into the 2022 Israeli legislative election.
Prime minister (2022–present)
Sixth term
After the 2022 election, Netanyahu was sworn in as prime minister again as the leader of a hardline coalition.[255] He officially started his sixth term on 29 December 2022.[253]
The first months of Netanyahu's sixth term were centered around a proposed reform package in the judicial branch. Critics highlighted the negative effects it would have on the separation of powers,[256][257][258] the office of the Attorney General,[259][260][261] the economy,[262][263][264] public health,[265][266] women and minorities,[265][266][267] workers' rights,[268] scientific research,[266][269] the overall strength of Israel's democracy[270][271] and its foreign relations.[272] After weeks of public protests on Israel's streets, joined by a growing number of military reservists, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant spoke against the reform on 25 March, calling for a halt of the legislative process "for the sake of Israel's security".[273] Netanyahu announced his intention to remove Gallant from his post the following day, sparking further protests across Israel and leading to Netanyahu agreeing to delay the legislation for a month.[274][275]
In February 2023, the new government under Netanyahu approved the legalization of nine settler outposts in the occupied West Bank.[276] Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich took charge of most of the Civil Administration, obtaining broad authority over civilian issues in the West Bank. Israeli peace groups condemned the move as de jure annexation of the occupied territories.[277][278][279] In March 2023, Netanyahu's government repealed a 2005 law whereby four Israeli settlements, Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim and Kadim, were dismantled as part of the Israeli disengagement from Gaza.[280] In June 2023, Netanyahu's coalition shortened the procedure of approving settlement construction and gave Finance Minister Smotrich the authority to approve one of the stages, changing the system operating for the last 27 years.[281] In its first six months, construction of 13,000 housing units in settlements, almost triple the amount advanced in the whole of 2022.[282]
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Israel refused to send lethal weapons to Ukraine. In June 2023, Netanyahu said that Israel is concerned "with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands and could be reverse engineered, and we would find ourselves facing Israeli systems used against Israel."[283]
On 7 October 2023, after Palestinian militants from Gaza launched a major surprise attack, Netanyahu announced that Israel would enter in a state of war against Hamas.[284] He threatened to "turn all the places where Hamas is organized and hiding into cities of ruins", called Gaza "the city of evil", and urged its residents to "leave now".[285] He later proposed that opposition parties Yesh Atid and National Unity enter an emergency unity government amid the conflict,[286] after Leader of the Opposition Lapid urged Netanyahu put "aside our differences and form an emergency, narrow, professional government."[287]
Netanyahu was criticized for presiding over Israel's biggest intelligence failure in 50 years, and has faced protests calling for his removal. The outbreak of war led to increased opposition to Netanyahu and the government from Israeli citizens due to a perceived failure to anticipate the Hamas-led attack, with increased calls for Netanyahu's resignation.[288][289][290] A poll in 2023 showed that 56% of Israelis believed that Netanyahu must resign after the war, with 86% of respondents holding the country's leadership responsible for the security failings that led to the attack.[291][292][293][294][295] On 28 October 2023, Netanyahu was accused of using "dangerous rhetoric" when comparing Hamas to Amalek, stating: "You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember."[296] On 29 October, Netanyahu blamed Israel's security chiefs for Hamas's attack in a post on X (formerly Twitter); this was later deleted following criticism.[297] A subsequent investigation carried out by Shin Bet acknowledged the agency's failures but also found that Shin Bet warned the prime minister that Hamas was not deterred and objected to the divide-and-rule policy vis-a-vis Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.[298]
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In November 2023, he rejected calls for a ceasefire in the war and warned that Israel will "stand firm against the world if necessary." He said the Israel Defense Forces would remain in Gaza "as long as necessary" and Israel would prevent the Palestinian Authority from returning to Gaza.[299] Netanyahu called allegations that Israel is breaking international law "hogwash" and described Palestinian civilian casualties as "collateral damage."[300] In December 2023, he faced criticism during a meeting with released Israeli hostages. One of the hostages accused him of putting politics "above the return of the kidnapped."[301] In December 2023, Netanyahu said that Israel should support the "voluntary migration" of Palestinians from Gaza.[302] Israel under Netanyahu has been accused of committing genocide in Gaza in the South Africa v. Israel case before the International Court of Justice in December 2023.[303][304]
In May 2024, Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, announced his intention to apply for an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on several counts of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.[305][306]
In July 2024, Netanyahu addressed another joint session of the United States Congress, amidst widespread protest, to solicit support for the Gaza war.[307] He called protesters "useful idiots" and pledged a "total victory" in Gaza.[308] He met with 2024 Republican nominee for president Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence where he criticized presumptive Democratic nominee for President Kamala Harris for vowing that she "will not be silent" about atrocities in Gaza.[309]
In October 2024, a drone attack believed to have originated from Lebanon was made on Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea. Netanyahu was not in the residence at the time, and no casualties were reported.[310] Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of trying to assassinate him in the attack.[311]
On 5 November 2024, Netanyahu fired defense minister Gallant, who had advocated for a short-term diplomatic deal. The firing triggered protests throughout Israel.[312] On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes committed during the Gaza war.[313] Netanyahu described the ruling as "absurd and false lies" and said the decision is "antisemitic".[314]
On the night of 18 March 2025, Israel launched a surprise attack on the Gaza Strip, effectively ending the January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire.[315] Netanyahu was scheduled on 18 March to testify in his corruption trial, but as a result of the attacks, the legal proceedings were postponed.[316] In March 2025, Netanyahu fired Ronen Bar, chief of Shin Bet, citing a loss of confidence.[317] Bar accused the government of firing him for investigating Qatar's involvement and influence in the Prime Minister's Office, in a case known as the Qatari connection affair.[318]
In May 2025, Netanyahu stated that the destruction of homes in Gaza would lead to the forced emigration of Palestinians.[319]
On 13 June, Netanyahu authorized airstrikes against Iran, marking the beginning of the Iran–Israel war.[320] Within a week, Netanyahu publicly commented on the effects of the war: "Each of us bears a personal cost, and my family has not been exempt", as he cited that it was "the second time that my son Avner has cancelled a wedding due to missile threats."[321] In July, Netanyahu was criticized for deciding to increase Gaza aid distribution by some members of his cabinet who rejected the U.S. ceasefire proposal.[322]
In August 2025, Netanyahu said in an interview with i24NEWS that he was on a "historic and spiritual mission" and that he is "very" attached to the vision of Greater Israel,[323] which includes the Palestinian territories.[324] On 21 September 2025, Netanyahu rejected the existence of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River, saying, "For years, I have prevented the establishment of this terrorist state facing tremendous pressures at home and abroad."[325]
In Netanyahu's address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he opposed international recognition of a Palestinian state. As Netanyahu commenced his speech, dozens of individuals in New York exited the hall in protest.[326]
Political positions
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Authoritarianism
In the years under Netanyahu's rule, Israel experienced authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, corruption,[327][328][329][330] and expansionism.[331] The Israeli Military Censor had long been recorded to have censored thousands of news articles annually.[332] During the Gaza war, Israel had intensified protest and news media censorship, including with reports about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.[333][334][335][336] Netanyahu's repeated attempts to revamp judicial systems have been accused of being efforts to elevate authoritarianism and protect the prime minister from corruption charges;[328][329] he in turn accused the "leftist Deep state" of attempting to weaponize the justice system against him and the people of Israel.[337] He additionally has spoken populist statements regarding Anti-Arab racism involving narratives of conflict with Jews, in particular of Anti-Palestinianism.[330] Netanyahu's administration in recent years has been tailored towards far-right politics and has been described as the most far-right government in Israeli history. He has also allied his nation with other illiberal, authoritarian leaders from Hungary, Russia, and the United States.[338]
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Netanyahu opposed the Oslo Accords from their inception. In 1993, he dedicated a chapter, entitled "Trojan Horse", of his book A Place Among the Nations to argue against the Oslo peace process. He asserted that Amin al-Husseini had been one of the masterminds of the Holocaust, and that Yasser Arafat was heir to the former's "alleged exterminationist Nazism".[339] During his term as prime minister in the late 1990s, Netanyahu consistently reneged on commitments made by previous Israeli governments as part of the Oslo peace process, leading American peace envoy Dennis Ross to note that "neither President Clinton nor Secretary [of State Madeleine] Albright believed that Bibi had any real interest in pursuing peace."[340] In a 2001 video, Netanyahu, reportedly unaware he was being recorded, said:
On 9 August 2009, speaking at the opening of his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu promised not to repeat the "mistake" of the Gaza pullout, adding that "the unilateral evacuation brought neither peace nor security. On the contrary". He also said, "Should we achieve a turn toward peace with the more moderate partners, we will insist on the recognition of the State of Israel and the demilitarization of the future Palestinian state".[116][342] In 2014, Netanyahu said:
Netanyahu had previously called U.S.-backed peace talks a waste of time[344] and refused to commit to the same two-state solution as had other Israeli leaders[345] until a speech in June 2009. He repeatedly made public statements which advocated an "economic peace" approach, meaning an approach based on economic cooperation and joint effort rather than continuous contention over political and diplomatic issues. This is in line with many significant ideas from the Peace Valley plan.[346] He raised these ideas during discussions with former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.[347] Netanyahu continued to advocate these ideas as the Israeli elections approached.[348] Netanyahu has said:
In January 2009, Netanyahu informed Middle East envoy Tony Blair that he would continue the policy of the Israeli governments of Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert by expanding West Bank settlements, in contravention of the Road Map, but not building new ones.[349]
In 2013, Netanyahu denied reports that his government would agree to peace talks on the basis of the green line.[352] In 2014 he agreed to the American framework based on the green line and said that Jewish settlers must be allowed the option of staying in their settlements under Palestinian rule.[353][354]
In 2014, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat criticized Netanyahu, calling him "ideologically corrupt" and a war criminal.[355]
For years, Netanyahu backed Qatari transfers of hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza, in the hope that it would pacify Gaza, turn Hamas into an effective counterweight to the Palestinian Authority and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.[356][357] In 2019, Netanyahu said at a private Likud party meeting, "Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas. This is part of our strategy – to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank."[350][358][359] Often, cash was delivered in suitcases by a Qatari official who was escorted by Israeli intelligence officers.[360] According to the New York Times, Netanyahu continued backing the payments in response to Qatari questions as late as September 2023.[360] In 2025, Shin Beth started an investigation into the alleged ties between Netanyahu's advisors and Qatar.[361]
In January 2020, Netanyahu publicly supported Trump's Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.[362][363] After the peace proposal failed, Trump said Netanyahu "never wanted peace" with the Palestinians.[364][365][366][367]
Former United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated that on 22 May 2017, Netanyahu showed Trump a fake and altered video of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas calling for the killing of children. This was at a time when Trump was considering if Israel was the obstacle to peace. Netanyahu had showed Trump the fake video to change his position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[368]
The U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords agreed to the full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (the Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement) and Bahrain, respectively (the Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement).[369] This was the first time any Arab country had normalized relations with Israel since Jordan in 1994. The accords were signed by Bahrain's foreign minister, UAE's foreign minister and Netanyahu on 15 September 2020 at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.[370]
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On 23 October 2020, U.S. president Trump announced that Sudan will start to normalize ties with Israel, making it the third Arab state to do so as part of the Trump administration-brokered Abraham Accords.[371][372] Sudan fought in wars against Israel in 1948 and 1967.[373] Netanyahu thanked "President Trump and his team above all", saying that "together with him we are changing history ... despite all the experts and commentators who said it was impossible. Israel was completely isolated and they told us we were heading into a political tsunami. What's happening is the absolute opposite."[374] This was followed by Morocco establishing relations with Israel in December.[375] In July 2024, Pakistan officially designated him a "terrorist", calling him responsible for the atrocities in Gaza.[376]
Economic views
By 1998, Netanyahu had acquired a reputation as "the advocate of the free-market" and in 1999 told the Jerusalem Post: "Peace is an end of itself [...] peace, without free markets, will not produce growth. But free markets without peace do produce growth."[378] As prime minister in his first term, he significantly reformed the banking sector, removing barriers to investment abroad, mandatory purchases of government securities and direct credit. As Minister of Finance (2003–2005), Netanyahu introduced a major overhaul of the Israeli economy. He introduced a welfare to work program, he led a program of privatization, reduced the size of the public sector, reformed and streamlined the taxation system and passed laws against monopolies and cartels with the aim of increasing competition.[79] Netanyahu extended capital gains taxes from companies to individuals, which allowed him to enlarge the tax base while reducing taxes on incomes.[379] As the Israeli economy started booming and unemployment fell significantly, Netanyahu was widely credited by commentators as having performed an 'economic miracle' by the end of his tenure.[79] Direct investment in the Israeli economy had increased by an annualized 380%.[380] On the other hand, his critics have labelled his economic views as Margaret Thatcher-inspired "popular capitalism".[381]
Netanyahu defines capitalism as "the ability to have individual initiative and competition to produce goods and services with profit, but not to shut out somebody else from trying to do the same".[377] He says that his views developed while he was working as an economic consult for Boston Consulting Group: "It was the first time that the Boston Consulting Group looked at governments and worked for governments. They wanted to do a strategic plan for the government of Sweden. I was on that case and looked at other governments. So I went around to other governments in Europe in 1976 and I was looking at Britain. I was looking at France. I was looking at other countries, and I could see that they were stymied by concentrations of power that prevented competition. And I thought, hmm, as bad as they are, ours was worse because we had very little room for private sector competition to the extent that we had government-controlled or union-controlled companies, and so you really didn't get the competition or the growth ... And I said, well, if I ever have a chance, I'll change that."[377]
Views on counter-terrorism
Netanyahu has said his own "hard line against all terrorists" came as a result of his brother's death. Yoni Netanyahu had been killed while leading the hostage-rescue mission at Operation Entebbe.[383]
In addition to having taken part in counter-terrorist operations during his service in the military, Netanyahu has published three books on the subject of fighting terrorism. He identifies terrorism as a form of totalitarianism, writing:
Netanyahu cautions that:
He believes there is a balance between civil liberties and security, which should depend on the level of sustained terrorist attacks in a country. During periods of sustained attack, there should be shift towards security, due to "the monstrous violation of personal rights which is the lot of the victims of terror and their families".[385] But this should be regularly reviewed, with an emphasis on guarding civil liberties and individual privacy wherever and whenever security considerations allow:[385] "The concern of civil libertarians over possible infringements of the rights of innocent citizens is well placed, and all additional powers granted the security services should require annual renewal by the legislature, this in addition to judicial oversight of actions as they are taken in the field."[386]
He advises tighter immigration laws as an essential tool to preemptively combat terrorism: "This era of immigration free-for-all should be brought to an end. An important aspect of taking control of the immigration situation is stricter background checks of potential immigrants, coupled with the real possibility of deportation."[386]
He also cautions that it is essential that governments do not conflate terrorists with those legitimate political groups that may or may not hold extremist views, but which advance their positions by means of debate and argument.[382] Ronald Reagan was an admirer of Netanyahu's work on counter-terrorism, and Reagan recommended Netanyahu's book Terrorism: How the West Can Win to all senior figures in his administration.[387]
Death penalty
In 2017, Netanyahu called for the death penalty to be imposed on the perpetrator of the 2017 Halamish stabbing attack.[388] Representatives in his government introduced a bill which would allow the death penalty for terrorism to the Knesset.[389][390] In a preliminary vote in January 2018, 52 of 120 members of the Israeli parliament voted in favor while 49 opposed, to make it easier for judges to hand down the death penalty. The amendment to the penal code would still require three more readings if it is to become law.[391]
LGBT rights
Netanyahu supports equal rights for LGBT persons. He said: "The struggle for every person to be recognized as equal before the law is a long struggle, and there is still a long way to go ... I am proud that Israel is among the most open countries in the world in relation to the LGBT community discourse."[392] During an event held for the annual community rights day at the Knesset, Netanyahu said that he was "asked to come here in the middle of my busy schedule to say one thing to the male and female members of the LGBT community: We must be guided by the conviction that every person is created in the image of God."[393] However, some of his coalition government's party members opposed same-sex marriage.[394]
Ethiopian Jewish integration
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In 2015, after Ethiopian Jewish protests against police brutality, Netanyahu said: "We will bring a comprehensive plan to the government to assist you in every way. There is no room for racism and discrimination in our society, none ... We will turn racism into something contemptible and despicable."[395]
African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem
Netanyahu supports the integration of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem into Israeli society, and takes part in celebrations in honor of this community's "exodus" from America to Israel, which occurred in 1967. 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," and declared that the experience of the community in the land of Israel is "an integral part of the Israeli experience."[396]
Iran
In a March 2007 CNN interview, Netanyahu said that "there is only one difference between Nazi Germany and the Islamic Republic of Iran, namely that the first entered a worldwide conflict and then sought atomic weapons, while the latter is first seeking atomic weapons and, once it has them, will then start a world war." Netanyahu repeated these remarks at a news conference in April 2008.[397] This was similar to earlier remarks that "it's 1938, and Iran is Germany, and Iran is racing to arm itself with atomic bombs".[398]
In February 2009, after being asked to be the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu described Iran as the greatest threat that Israel has ever faced: "Iran is seeking to obtain a nuclear weapon and constitutes the gravest threat to our existence since the war of independence."[399] Speaking before the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September 2009, Netanyahu expressed a different opinion than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the forum, saying those who believe Tehran is a threat only to Israel are wrong. "The Iranian regime", he said, "is motivated by fanaticism ... They want to see us go back to medieval times. The struggle against Iran pits civilization against barbarism. This Iranian regime is fueled by extreme fundamentalism."[130][131] "By focusing solely on Iran", columnist Yossi Melman speculated that Netanyahu's foreign policy, "... took the Palestinian issue off the world agenda." After four days of shelling from the Iranian-funded Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Melman asked, "Is it worth initiating a crisis with Iran? Will the Israeli public be able to cope with Iran's response?"[400]
According to Uzi Eilam, Netanyahu is using the threat of atomic Iran as a means of reaching his own goals. He said: "Netanyahu is using the Iranian threat to achieve a variety of political objectives." He also said: "These declarations are unnecessarily scaring Israel's citizens, given Israel is not party to the negotiations to determine whether Iran will or will not dismantle its nuclear program."[401]
By 2012, Netanyahu is reported to have formed a close, confidential relationship with Defense Minister Ehud Barak as the two men considered possible Israeli military action against Iran's nuclear facilities,[402][403] following Israel's established Begin Doctrine. The pair were accused of acting on "messianic" impulses by Yuval Diskin, former head of the Shin Bet, who added that their warmongering rhetoric appealed to "the idiots within the Israeli public".[404] Diskin's remarks were supported by former Mossad chief Meir Dagan,[405] who himself had previously said that an attack on Iran was "the stupidest thing I have ever heard".[406] A few weeks later, the RAND Corporation also openly disagreed with Netanyahu's belligerent stance.[407]
Early in 2012, he used the opening ceremony for Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day to warn against the dangers of an Iranian nuclear bomb, saying he was following the example of Jewish leaders during World War II who struggled to raise the alarm about the Nazis' genocidal intentions.[408] Israeli academic Avner Cohen accused Netanyahu of showing "contempt" for the Holocaust by putting it to "political use",[409] and former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami similarly condemned Netanyahu's "vulgar manipulation of the memory of the Holocaust".[410] Immediately after the 2012 Burgas bus bombing, Netanyahu confirmed that the attack had been undertaken in coordination with Iran.[411]
Netanyahu opined during a July meeting that "all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian programme by one iota".[412] In August he stated that the United States only might respond to a massive attack against Israel.[413] On 28 September 2012, Netanyahu gave a speech to the UN General Assembly in which he set forward a "red line" of 90% uranium enrichment, stating that if Iran were to reach this level, it would become an intolerable risk for Israel.[414] Netanyahu used a cartoon graphic of a bomb to illustrate his point, indicating three stages of uranium enrichment, saying that Iran had already completed the first stage, and stating that "By next spring, at most by next summer at current enrichment rates, [Iran] will have finished the medium enrichment and move on to the final stage. From there, it's only a few months, possibly a few weeks before they get enough enriched uranium for the first bomb."[415] At the time, according to cables leaked in 2015, Mossad's assessment was that Iran did not appear ready to enrich uranium to levels required for a nuclear bomb.[416]
In an October 2013 interview with BBC Persian Service, Netanyahu praised the history of Persia and said: "If the Iranian regime has nuclear weapons, the Iranian people will never be free of dictatorship and will live in eternal servitude."[417]
The U.S. military's 2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike, which killed the high-level Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, brought strong reactions from around the world. Netanyahu praised the air strike, saying that Trump had acted "swiftly, forcefully and decisively".[418]
On 13 June 2025, Netanyahu authorized airstrikes against Iran, marking the beginning of the Iran–Israel war.[320] Netanyahu stated the goal of the operation was to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities, which he described as a "clear and present danger to Israel's very survival.".[419][420][421][422] He additionally framed the campaign as an opportunity for regime change, aligning with exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s call for a national uprising.[423][424][425]
Bank of China terror financing case
In 2013, Netanyahu found himself caught between conflicting commitments made to the family of American terror victim Daniel Wultz and the Chinese government. Although Netanyahu was reported to have previously promised U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen that Israel would fully cooperate in the terror-financing case against Bank of China in U.S. District Court, the prime minister reportedly made a conflicting promise to the Government of China prior to a state visit to China in May 2013.[426] Attorney David Boies, lead counsel for the Wultz family, told The Wall Street Journal, "While we are respectful of China's interests, and of the diplomatic pressure to which Israel has been subjected, those interests and that pressure cannot be permitted to obstruct the ability of American courts to hear critical evidence."[427][428]
In August 2013, Ros-Lehtinen, chair of the House Middle East and South Asia subcommittee, told the Miami Herald she 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.[429] "I am hopeful that we can bring this case to a conclusion that is satisfactory to the family, but we need community support to not waver at this critical time," Ros-Lehtinen said.[429]
U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee, also spoke out on the issue with the Miami Herald: "In South Florida, we all know too well of the tragic circumstances surrounding the cowardly terrorist attack that took Daniel Wultz's innocent life. I have been working, hand in hand with the Wultz family and the state of Israel to ensure any and all of those involved in this terrorist activity, including the Bank of China, pay for their crimes so that justice can be served."[429]
Defense and security
In 2011, Netanyahu arranged for 1000 Hamas and Fatah prisoners to be swapped for Gilad Shalit, including terrorists with "blood on their hands".[430] Israeli officials estimate that 60% of those who are released "resume terrorism attacks".[431]
In 2011, Israeli General Staff concluded that the armed forces cannot maintain their battle readiness under Netanyahu's proposed cuts.[432] Netanyahu decided to cut social programs instead and promised to increase the defense budget by about six percent.[433][434] The Israeli military still fell NIS 3.7 million short from its projected budget, which could damage their war capabilities.[435] 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.[436]
Under Netanyahu's leadership, the Israeli National Security Council has seen an expanded role in foreign policy planning and decision-making.[437]
During the Gaza war he called for Israel to assume "overall security responsibility" over the Gaza Strip, saying "we've seen what happens when we don't have it [...] what we have is the eruption of Hamas terror on a scale that we couldn't imagine".[438][439]
Illegal immigration
In his 1995 book Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism, Netanyahu strongly argued that tightening immigration laws in the West is the most effective method to combat terrorism. "This era of immigration free-for-all should be brought to an end", he wrote in 1995.[386]
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 called it "an affront to international law".[440][441] Between 2009 and 2013, approximately 60,000 people crossed into Israel from various African countries.[442] Netanyahu said that "this phenomenon is very grave and threatens the social fabric of society, our national security and our national identity."[443] Many of these migrants are held in detention camps in the Negev desert.[444] 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 new legislation to work around the Supreme Court ruling.[445]
Netanyahu is critical of what he sees as the overly open immigration policy of EU nations. Netanyahu has urged the leaders of Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland to close their borders to illegal immigration.[446]
Relations with foreign leaders
Serving as prime minister in three nonconsecutive periods since the 1990s,[447][448] he developed close relationships with foreign leaders. Netanyahu has a close relationship with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, their having known each other for decades due to the privileged relationship between the Likud Party and the EPP, the European People's Party. Orban particularly admired Netanyahu while he was working as finance minister, and received advice from him while Netanyahu was Finance Minister of Israel.[449]
Netanyahu has been noted for his close and friendly relationship with former-late Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.[450] Netanyahu has said of Berlusconi: "We are lucky that there is a leader such as yourself."[451] Netanyahu has described Berlusconi as "one of the greatest friends".[450][452]
Netanyahu and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi developed a close relationship and ties between India and Israel increased during their rule.[453][454][455]
Netanyahu had a warm relationship and "personal friendship" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.[456][457] In his 2022 book, Netanyahu wrote positively about Putin and describes him as "smart, sophisticated and focused on one goal – returning Russia to its historical greatness".[458] Their relationship has been strained since the start of the Gaza war.[459]
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In early 2018, the Polish parliament adopted a new Polish law criminalizing suggestions that Poles were collectively complicit in Holocaust-related or other war crimes that had been committed during World War II by the Axis powers.[461][462] Later that year at the Munich Security Conference, Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said "it is not going to be seen as criminal to say that there were Polish perpetrators, as there were Jewish perpetrators ... not only German perpetrators" implicated in the Jewish Holocaust.[463] Netanyahu called his Polish counterpart's comment "outrageous" for saying that Jews had been among the Holocaust's perpetrators.[464] The resulting crisis in Israel–Poland relations was resolved in late June that year when the two prime ministers issued a joint communiqué endorsing research into the Jewish Holocaust and condemning the misnomer "Polish concentration camps".[465]
According to Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, during the visit of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Jerusalem, Netanyahu failed to publicly address Ukraine's official policy of rehabilitating local Nazi collaborators like UPA leader Roman Shukhevych, who had participated in the murder of Jews.[466]
Netanyahu has developed a close relationship with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro following Bolsonaro's 2018 election.[467][468] Netanyahu has also developed a good relationship with Argentinian president Javier Milei, having called him a "great friend of the Jewish State", shortly after Milei started his presidential tenure.[469]
Since 2023, Netanyahu and Chinese President Xi Jinping have been engaged in diplomacy, arising due to strained ties between the US and Israel.[470] The diplomatic situation has been made complicated due to the Gaza war, where China has remained neutral.[471]
Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have tense relations.[472] In March 2019, after being denounced by Turkey as a racist for saying that Israel was the nation-state of the Jewish people only, Netanyahu called Erdoğan a dictator and mocked him for imprisoning journalists in a tweet.[473] In response, Erdoğan called Netanyahu as "the thief who heads Israel", referencing the ongoing corruption scandals against Netanyahu. In the same speech, Erdoğan further escalated the spat by addressing to Netanyahu directly, saying, "you are a tyrant. You are a tyrant who slaughters 7-year-old Palestinian kids",[473] and further in April 2018, calling Israel "terror state" and Netanyahu "terrorist".[474] Netanyahu tweeted that "Erdoğan is among Hamas's biggest supporters and there is no doubt that he well understands terrorism and slaughter."[475] Netanyahu condemned the 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria and warned against ethnic cleansing of Kurds by Turkey and its proxies.[476]
US leaders
Netanyahu has close ties with the congressional leadership of the U.S. Republican Party and with its 2012 presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. He and Romney first became acquainted when both worked at the Boston Consulting Group in the mid-1970s.[477]
During the 2011 G-20 Cannes summit, then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy was overheard saying to then-U.S. president Barack Obama, "I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar", and Obama reportedly responded, "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day."[478][479]
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In October 2014, author Jeffrey Goldberg related a conversation in which Goldberg said that a senior official of the Obama administration called Netanyahu a "chickenshit" after Netanyahu accused U.S. president Barack Obama of "acting contrary to American values". Goldberg went on to say that Netanyahu and his cabinet were largely to blame for the tensions between the Netanyahu and Obama governments.[177] Secretary of State John Kerry phoned Netanyahu to clarify that "such statements are disgraceful, unacceptable and damaging" and "do not reflect the position of the United States".[480] Netanyahu responded by saying "I'm being attacked because of my determination to defend Israel's interests. The safety of Israel is not important to those who attack me anonymously and personally."[481] Because of evident rifts between Netanyahu and members of the Obama administration, observers have characterized the relationship as having reached a crisis level by October 2014.[482][177] The relationship between Netanyahu and the Obama administration had become problematic enough that Goldberg reported that his conversations with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials indicated that Israel would wait until after the 2016 presidential election before attempting to repair the relationship with the White House. According to Alon Pinkas, "Netanyahu's self-righteousness that this resolution is going to be changed or reversed by Trump is totally unfounded."[483]
On 23 December 2016, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for an end to Israeli settlements.[484] In a departure from longstanding American policy, the U.S., under the Obama administration, abstained from the vote and did not exercise its veto power. At the behest of the Netanyahu government, President-elect Trump attempted to intercede by publicly advocating for the resolution to be vetoed, as well as successfully persuading Egypt's Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to temporarily withdraw it from consideration.[485] The resolution was then "proposed again by Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal and Venezuela" – and passed 14 to 0. Netanyahu's office alleged that "the Obama administration not only failed to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN, it colluded with it behind the scenes", adding: "Israel looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and with all our friends in Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, to negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution."[486][487][488]
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Netanyahu and U.S. president Donald Trump have known each other for many years.[489] Netanyahu had been a friend of Donald Trump's father, Fred, when Netanyahu lived in New York during the 1980s, serving as UN ambassador.[38] In 2013, Trump made a video endorsing Netanyahu during the Israeli elections saying, "vote for Benjamin – terrific guy, terrific leader, great for Israel". In June 2019, Netanyahu officially renamed a settlement in the disputed Golan Heights after Donald Trump.[490][491] However, Trump aide Jared Kushner has claimed that in January 2020, Trump became frustrated with Netanyahu's rhetoric regarding annexation of the Jordan Valley, and considered endorsing his political opponent, Benny Gantz.[492] Following Netanyahu's congratulations for Joe Biden after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the relationship deteriorated, with Trump accusing him of disloyalty and stating Netanyahu had "made a terrible mistake".[493]
U.S. president Joe Biden, a Democrat, has been friendly with Netanyahu for many years. In November 2011[494] and in the 2012 U.S. vice presidential debate,[495] Biden stated that the relationship has lasted for 39 years. In March 2010, Netanyahu remarked during a joint statement with Biden during his visit Israel that their friendship had started almost three decades prior.[496] During Spring 2024, the relationship between the two leaders had become strained over Israel's Rafah offensive.[497]
Personal life
Family tree
| Nathan Mileikowsky (1879–1935) Writer, Zionist activist | Sarah Lurie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tzila Segal (1912–2000) | Benzion Netanyahu (1910–2012) Historian | Elisha Netanyahu (1912–1986) Mathematician | Shoshana Shenburg (1923–2022) Supreme Court justice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yonatan Netanyahu (1946–1976) Military Commander | Benjamin Netanyahu (1949–) | Iddo Netanyahu (1952–) Physician, playwright | Nathan Netanyahu (1951–) Computer scientist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marriages and relationships
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Netanyahu has been married three times and has been involved in multiple extramarital affairs. Netanyahu's first marriage was to Miriam Weizmann, whom he met in Israel. Weizmann lived near Yonatan Netanyahu's apartment in Jerusalem, where Netanyahu was based during his military service. By the time Netanyahu's service was finished, Weizmann had completed her own military service as well as a degree in chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1972, they both left to study in the United States, where she enrolled in Brandeis University, while Netanyahu studied at MIT. They married soon afterward. The couple had one daughter, Noa (born 29 April 1978).[498][499]
In 1978, while Weizmann was pregnant, Netanyahu met a non-Jewish British student named Fleur Cates at the university library, and began an affair. His marriage ended in divorce soon after Miriam discovered the affair. In 1981, Netanyahu married Cates, and she converted to Judaism.[387] After moving with Netanyahu to Israel, Cates sued for divorce in 1988.[387]
His third wife, Sara Ben-Artzi, was working as a flight attendant on an El Al flight from New York to Israel when they met.[68] She was in the process of completing a master's degree in psychology.[500] The couple married in 1991. They have two sons: Yair (born 26 July 1991), a former soldier in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit,[501] and Avner (born 10 October 1994), a national Bible champion, winner of the National Bible Quiz for Youth in Kiryat Shmona, and former soldier in the IDF Combat Intelligence Collection Corps.[502][503]
In 1993, Netanyahu confessed on live television to having an affair with Ruth Bar, his public relations adviser. He said that a political rival had planted a secret video camera that had recorded him in a sexually compromising position with Bar, and that he had been threatened with the release of the tape to the press unless he quit the Likud leadership race. Netanyahu and Sara repaired their marriage, and he was elected to the leadership of Likud.[504] In 1996, the media reported that he had a 20-year friendship with Katherine Price-Mondadori, an Italian-American woman.[relevant?][505]
Health
Netanyahu has been suffering from right bundle branch block (RBBB) since around 2003.[506] In the first half of 2008, doctors removed a small colon polyp that proved to be benign.[507] On 22 July 2023, a pacemaker was implanted in his body.[508][509] A hernia was discovered on him in March 2024.[510] In December 2024, his prostate was removed following a urinary tract infection caused by an enlargement.[511]
His personal physician and close friend is the Romanian-born pediatrist Herman Berkovits.[512]
Authored books
- —, ed. (1981). International Terrorism: Challenge and Response. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-0-87855-894-0.
- — (1987). Terrorism: How the West Can Win. Avon. ISBN 978-0-380-70321-0.
- — (1995). Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-374-15492-9.
- — (1999) [1993]. A Durable Peace: Israel and Its Place Among the Nations. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-0-446-52306-6.
- — (2022). Bibi: My Story. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-6680-0844-7.
See also
- Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful People – Ranking published by Forbes magazine
- List of international prime ministerial trips made by Benjamin Netanyahu
- List of Israeli politicians
- Trial of Benjamin Netanyahu – 2020–present corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister
Notes
- Pronounced /ˌnɛtənˈjɑːhuː/ NET-ən-YAH-hoo;[2] Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין "בִּיבִּי" נְתַנְיָהוּ, romanized: Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, pronounced [binjaˈmin netanˈjahu] ⓘ
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Further reading
- Caspit, Ben. The Netanyahu Years (2017) excerpt
- Medzini, Meron. "Rabin and Hussein: From Enemies at War to Partners in Peace." in The Palgrave Handbook of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019) pp. 435–446.
- Anshel Pfeffer (2018). Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-465-09782-1
- Jonathan Freedland, "Trump's Chaver in Jerusalem" (review of Anshel Pfeffer, Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, Basic Books, 2018), New York Review of Books, vol. LXV, no 13 (16 August 2018), pp. 32–34.
- Adam Shatz, "The sea is the same sea" (review of Anshel Pfeffer, Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu, Hurst, May 2018, ISBN 978-1-84904-988-7), London Review of Books, vol. 40, no. 16 (30 August 2018), pp. 24, 26–28.
- Remnick, David, "Hostages: As Benjamin Netanyahu clings to power, his country pays a price", The New Yorker, 22 January 2024, pp. 26–39. "[Netanyahu's] highest priority... appeared [to be] to shake free of a series of criminal corruption indictments; he had been charged with everything from accepting illegal gifts... to making a shady deal with a media baron to win favorable coverage.... Netanyahu reclaimed the one position that provided refuge from prosecution... At the end of 2022, he forged a hard-right coalition that allowed him to return as Prime Minister. He brought into the fold... reactionaries [who] endorse the full annexation of the West Bank and have recently called for the expulsion of Gaza's [Palestinian] population. Netanyahu also pushed a wildly contentious 'judiical reform' law [which] perhaps more than half the country... feared... would undermine the Supreme Court, the balance of powers, and democracy itself." (pp. 32–33.)
External links
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Data from Wikidata
- Official website
- Benjamin Netanyahu on the Knesset website
- Benjamin Netanyahu at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- Benjamin Netanyahu at IMDb
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Benjamin Netanyahu collected news and commentary at The Jerusalem Post
- Benjamin Netanyahu collected news and commentary at Haaretz
- "Shattered Dreams of Peace: The Road From Oslo". Frontline. Season 20. Episode 16. 27 June 2002. PBS. WGBH. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
- "Netanyahu at War". Frontline. Season 34. Episode 1. 5 January 2016. PBS. WGBH. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- "Netanyahu, America & the Road to Gaza". Frontline. Season 41. Episode 22. 19 December 2023. PBS. WGBH. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
- "Remaking the Middle East: Israel vs. Iran". Frontline. Season 43. Episode 21. 29 July 2025. PBS. WGBH. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
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Writers on Zionism
베냐민 네타냐후
베냐민 네타냐후 בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ | |
 베냐민 네타냐후(2023년) | |
| 이스라엘의 제13대 총리 | |
|---|---|
| 임기 | 1996년 6월 18일~1999년 7월 6일 |
| 전임 | 시몬 페레스(제12대) |
| 후임 | 에후드 바라크(제14대) |
이스라엘의 제17대 총리 | |
| 임기 | 2009년 3월 31일~2021년 6월 13일 |
전임: 에후드 올메르트(제16대) 후임: 나프탈리 베네트(제18대) | |
이스라엘의 제20대 총리 | |
| 임기 | 2022년 12월 29일~ |
전임: 야이르 라피드(제19대) | |
| 신상정보 | |
| 본명 | בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ |
| 로마자 표기 | Benjamin Netanyahu |
| 출생일 | 1949년 10월 21일(76세) |
| 출생지 | 이스라엘 텔아비브 |
| 학력 | 매사추세츠 공과대학교 S.B., S.M. 하버드 대학교 |
| 정당 | 리쿠드 |
| 배우자 | 사라 네타냐후 |
| 종교 | 유대교 |
| 별명 | 비비(ביבי) |
 | |
| 웹사이트 | netanyahu.org.il |
베냐민 네타냐후로도 불리는 빈야민 네탄야후(히브리어: בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ, 히브리어 발음: [binjaˈmin netanˈjahu] (
), 1949년 10월 21일~)는 이스라엘의 정치인이다. 비비(히브리어: ביבי)라는 별칭을 가지고 있으며 1996년부터 1999년까지, 2009년부터 2021년까지, 2022년부터 현재까지 이스라엘 총리를 총 17년 이상 역임하며 이스라엘 역사상 가장 오래 재임한 총리 기록을 가지고 있다.
1949년 이스라엘 텔아비브에서 세속적 유대인 가정에서 태어나 서예루살렘과 미국에서 성장했다. 1967년 이스라엘 방위군에 입대하기 위해 이스라엘로 돌아왔고 사예레트 맷칼 특수부대에서 대위로 명예 제대할 때까지 복무했다. 1972년 미국으로 복귀해 매사추세츠 공과대학교를 졸업한 후 보스턴 컨설팅 그룹에서 일하다 1978년 이스라엘로 돌아와 요나탄 네타냐후 대테러 연구소를 설립했다. 1984년부터 1988년까지 주유엔 이스라엘 대사를 지냈고 1993년 리쿠드 당 대표로 선출된 후 야당 대표가 되었다. 1996년 총선에서 승리하며 국민 투표로 직접 선출된 최초의 이스라엘 총리이자 역대 최연소 총리, 그리고 이스라엘 독립 이후 태어난 첫번째 총리가 되었으며 1999년 총선에서 패배한 후 정계에서 은퇴하고 민간 부문에서 활동했다. 이후 다시 정계로 돌아와 외무부 장관과 재무부 장관을 역임하며 이스라엘 경제 개혁을 시작했으나 이스라엘의 가자 지구 철수로 사임했다.
2005년 리쿠드당 대표로 복귀하여 2006년부터 2009년까지 야당 대표를 지냈다. 2009년 선거 이후 다른 우익 정당들과 연립 정부를 구성하고 총리가 되었고 2013년과 2015년 선거에서 리쿠드당을 승리로 이끌었다. 그는 1980년대부터 친구였던 도널드 트럼프와의 사적관계를 2016년부터 외교 정책에 활용하기 시작했고 트럼프의 첫 번째 대통령 임기 동안 미국으로부터 예루살렘을 이스라엘의 수도로 인정받았고, 골란고원에 대한 이스라엘의 주권을 인정받았으며, 아랍 세계가 이스라엘의 주권을 인정한 아브라함 협정을 중재했다. 2019년 배임, 뇌물, 사기 혐의로 기소되었고 총리직을 제외한 모든 장관직에서 물러났다. 2018-2022 이스라엘 정치 위기로 베니 간츠와 교대 정부 설립 합의를 체결했고 이 합의는 2020년 붕괴되어 2021년 3월 총선으로 이어졌다. 총선 이후 2021년 6월 총리직에서 물러났으나 2022년 총선에서 총리직에 복귀했다.
2023년 네타냐후 연정 내각이 사법 개혁을 추진하며 2023년 초 대규모 시위가 촉발했다. 같은 해 하마스 주도 팔레스타인 무장 단체가 10월 7일 하마스의 이스라엘 공격을 실시하며 이스라엘-하마스 전쟁이 발발했고 하마스 공격에 대한 초기 대응 실패와 이스라엘인 인질 귀환 실패로 인해 전국적인 시위가 발발했다. 2024년 10월 10월 7일 공격 이후 하마스를 도운 동맹 세력 헤즈볼라의 군사 능력을 파괴한다는 목표로 레바논 침공을 명령했고 12월 아사드 정권의 몰락 이후 세워진 시리아 정부에 대한 시리아 침공을 지시했다. 그는 2025년 이란에 대한 이스라엘군의 공습을 주재했고 이는 이란-이스라엘 전쟁으로 확대되었다.
네타냐후는 이스라엘의 서안 지구 점령 이후 이스라엘 정착촌 확대, 이스라엘의 민주주의 후퇴와 권위주의적 정치 행보로 비판받고 있다. 이스라엘 정착촌 확대는 국제법상 불법으로 간주되고 있으며 네타냐후 정부는 가자에서 집단살해 혐의를 받고 있고 이는 2023년 12월 국제사법재판소에서 남아프리카 공화국 v. 이스라엘 소송으로 이어졌다. 그는 2024년 11월 국제형사재판소로부터 팔레스타인에 대한 ICC 조사 이후 전쟁범죄와 인도에 반한 죄에 대한 항목으로 체포영장을 받았다.
어린 시절
이스라엘이 건국된 이후인 1949년 텔아비브에서 태어났다. 대학 교수인 부친 벤지온 네타냐후를 따라 1963년 미국으로 건너갔으며, 이후 6년간 군복무를 한 것을 제외하고는 1980년대 후반 이스라엘 정계에 들어오기 전까지는 거의 미국에서 활동하였다. MIT 에서 건축학을 전공으로 학사 학위를 취득하며 학부를 마쳤고 하버드 경영대학원에서 석사과정을 마쳤다. 하버드 경영대학원 재학 중에 하버드 대학교 대학원에서 정치학도 수학했으나 형 요나탄 네타냐후가 엔테베 작전 중 사망함으로 인해 정치학 박사과정을 마치지 못했다.
MIT 졸업 후 보스턴 컨설팅 그룹(BCG)에서 근무하였다. 이때 2012년 미국 대통령 선거에 출마해 버락 오바마에 대항할 밋 롬니를 BCG 동료로 만나 친분을 쌓았다. 1982년에는 워싱턴의 주미 대사관에서 근무하였고, 1984년 ~ 1988년 주 UN 대사를 지냈다. 1988년 국회의원으로 선출되었고, 이츠하크 샤미르 정권에서 각료로 재직하였다[1].
정치 생활
1993년 리쿠드 당수로 선출되었으며, 1996년 총선을 맞이하게 되었다. 이 총선에서는 동시에 총리를 별도로 직선으로 뽑도록 되어 있었다. 총선 직전 팔레스타인의 소행으로 보이는 테러 사건이 연달아 일어나면서, 그는 팔레스타인에 대한 초강경 정책을 실시할 것을 내비치며, 온건파인 시몬 페레스 당시 총리를 공격하였고, 결국 그는 페레스를 1% 포인트 차로 제치고 총리로 당선되었다. 그는 당시 이스라엘 역사상 최연소 총리였고, 또한 이스라엘 건국 이후 이스라엘 영토 안에서 태어난 최초의 총리였다.
총리로 재직하면서 팔레스타인에 대한 적대적인 감정을 드러내고 야세르 아라파트와 대립하기도 했으나, 미국과 요르단의 중재로 와이리버 협정을 체결하여 영토분쟁을 종식시킬 수 있는 계기를 마련하였다. 그러나 이러한 협정 체결은 그를 지지하던 우파의 신임을 잃게 되는 결과를 초래했고, 개인적인 문제와 부패 스캔들 등으로 구설수에 올라 1999년 총리 선거에서 이스라엘 노동당의 에후드 바라크에게 패하여 총리직에서 물러났다. 이에 그는 리쿠드의 당수직도 내놓고 잠시 정계에서 물러났다.
그 후 아리엘 샤론 정권의 각료로 참여하게 되어, 2002년 ~ 2003년 외무장관으로 재직하였고, 2003년 재무장관으로 임명되었다. 또한 아리엘 샤론이 맡고 있던 리쿠드 당수직도 다시 노리게 되었다. 그런 가운데 2005년 8월 9일 샤론 총리의 가자 지구 유대인 정착촌 철수 계획에 반대하며 재무장관직을 사임하였다. 그리고 샤론 총리가 리쿠드를 탈당하고 카디마를 창당하자 그 해 12월 리쿠드 당수직 선거에서 다시 당수로 선출되었으며, 2006년 총선에 출마하였다. 총선 결과 리쿠드는 원내 제1당의 자리를 카디마에 빼앗겼으며, 총리는 카디마의 에후드 올메르트가 선출되었다. 그러나 그는 계속하여 자신이 다시 총리가 되면 이란 핵시설에 선제 공격을 하겠다고 발언하는 등[2] 초강경 우파의 행보를 이어갔다.
그 후 이스라엘 정국은 경제위기, 집권당인 카디마의 부패 스캔들, 가자 지구 문제 등으로 혼란이 계속되었다. 비리에 연루된 에후드 올메르트 총리 이후 새 정부 구성이 이루어지지 못하자, 2009년 2월, 조기 총선이 실시되었다. 가자 사태가 쟁점이 된 총선 기간 중에도 강경 우파 행보를 이어갔으며, 이에 호응하는 유권자들의 반응에 카디마에 대한 국민들의 반감도 작용하여 그와 리쿠드에 대한 인기가 높았다. 총선 결과 그가 이끄는 리쿠드는 카디마에 1석 차로 패했으나, 그는 에후드 바라크 전 총리가 이끄는 노동당 등과 연정을 구성하여 3월 31일 총리 자리에 올랐다. 이후 5선 연임을 하였다.
2021년 해산으로 치러진 총선에서 연정 구성을 하지 못한 상태에서 하마스가 동예루살렘에서 일어나는 이스라엘의 팔레스타인인에 대한 조치에 반발해 무력으로 대응하자 하마스에 보복공격을 하여 반격 작전을 주도하였다.(2021년 이스라엘-팔레스타인 위기) 교전이 끝난 후, 나프탈리 베네트가 야이르 라피드와 연정 협상을 한다고 밝혀 정권을 잃을 위기에 몰렸고, 결국 실각했다.
각주
- 장지영 기자. “네타냐후, 이스라엘 최장수 총리 기록… 비리의혹에도 보수표 결집, 아베와 유사”. 《국민일보》. 국민일보. 2020년 4월 16일에 확인함.
- “이스라엘·이란 핵시설 문제로 관계 급랭”. mbn. 2005년 12월 7일. 2008년 5월 25일에 확인함.[깨진 링크(과거 내용 찾기)]
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ
 | この記事は最新の出来事（2023年パレスチナ・イスラエル戦争）に影響を受ける可能性があります。 |
| ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ בנימין נתניהו | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 生年月日 | 1949年10月21日（76歳） |
| 出生地 |  イスラエル・テルアビブ |
| 出身校 | マサチューセッツ工科大学(BS, MS) ハーバード大学(自主退学) |
| 現職 | イスラエル国首相 |
| 所属政党 | リクード |
| 称号 | 大尉 |
| 配偶者 | サラ・ネタニヤフ |
| 親族 | ネイサン・ミレイコフスキー（祖父） ベン＝ツィオン・ネタニヤフ（父） ヨナタン・ネタニヤフ（兄） イド・ネタニヤフ（弟） |
| サイン |  |
| 公式サイト | [netanyahu.org.il ] |
| 第20代 イスラエル国首相 | |
| 内閣 | 第6次ネタニヤフ内閣 イスラエル戦時内閣 |
| 在任期間 | 2022年12月29日 - |
| 大統領 | イツハク・ヘルツォグ |
| 第17代 イスラエル国首相 | |
| 内閣 | 第2次ネタニヤフ内閣 第3次ネタニヤフ内閣 第4次ネタニヤフ内閣 第5次ネタニヤフ内閣 |
| 在任期間 | 2009年3月31日 - 2021年6月13日 |
| 大統領 | シモン・ペレス(2009 - 2014) ルーベン・リブリン(2014 - 2021) |
| 第13代 イスラエル国首相 | |
| 内閣 | 第1次ネタニヤフ内閣 |
| 在任期間 | 1996年6月18日 - 1999年7月6日 |
| 大統領 | エゼル・ワイツマン |
| ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ בנימין נתניהו | |
|---|---|
| 生誕 | 1949年10月21日（76歳） イスラエル・テルアビブ |
| 所属組織 |  イスラエル国防軍（特殊部隊・サイェレット・マトカル） |
| 軍歴 | 1967 - 1973 |
| 最終階級 | 大尉（Séren） |
| 戦闘 | 消耗戦争 サベナ航空572便ハイジャック事件 第四次中東戦争 |
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ（ヘブライ語: בנימין נתניהו, 英: Benjamin Netanyahu, またはBinyamin 
発音, ビンヤミン・ネタニヤーフ、ネタニヤウ、ナタニヤウ（原音に近い）、1949年10月21日 - ）は、イスラエルの政治家。イスラエル首相（第13・17・20代）、クネセト議員（13期）、リクード議長（第3・5代）。
外務大臣（第17代）、財務大臣（第18・20・24代）、通信大臣（第33代）、イスラエル国連大使（第7代）を歴任した。ネタニヤフとはヘブライ語で「ヤハウェが与える」という意味。2023年パレスチナ・イスラエル戦争において、ガザ地区の住民を飢餓に陥れた戦争犯罪や、住民を大規模かつ組織的に攻撃した人道に対する罪により、国際刑事裁判所から逮捕状が出ている[1]。
イスラエル建国後に生まれた最初の首相経験者であり、歴代首相の中で最年少で首相に就任した人物でもある[2]。首相としての通算任期17年は歴代最長である。イスラエル国内や海外での同胞ユダヤ人たちの間などでは「ビビ」の愛称で呼ばれている。若い頃には、ベン・ニタイ（Ben Nitay,בן ניתאי）という名でメディアに登場したことがある[3]。
ネタニヤフはミスター・セキュリティ（ミスター安全保障）を自称している[4]。ネタニヤフはイスラエルの存立を脅かす勢力に対して強硬な立場をとることで知られるが、ガザ地区でのハマース掃討作戦に関して「アマレク人（ヤハウェの命で聖絶された民族）が我々に対して何をしたかを思い起こせと私たちの聖書が呼び掛けている」「私たちはアマレク人の所業を記憶している」と発言するなど[5]、ジェノサイドを示唆するような言動に関しての批判もある[6][7]。
略歴
家族及び個人の背景
1949年、父ベン＝ツィオン・ネタニヤフと母ジラ・ネタニヤフ夫妻の次男としてテルアビブで生まれた。父親のベン＝ツィオンはロシア姓をミレイコフスキー（Милейковский）といい、1910年に、旧ロシア帝国ポーランド領ワルシャワで生まれた。彼の父（ベンヤミンの祖父）は、シオニスト運動家のネイサン・ミレイコフスキーで、一家は1920年にパレスチナへ移住し、エルサレムに入植した。ベン＝ツィオンもまた父の思想を受け継いだシオニスト運動家で、コーネル大学でユダヤ史の教授をつとめた。及びヘブライ・エンサイクロペディアの編集者であり、それが息子たちの思想に大きく影響している。兄のヨナタン・ネタニヤフは1976年のエンテベ空港奇襲作戦で戦死している。弟のイド・ネタニヤフは放射線科医であり劇作家でもある。兄弟は三人ともイスラエル国防軍のエリート部隊、「サイェレット・マトカル」に所属していた。
ネタニヤフは家族と共に1956年から1958年、1963年から1967年にかけてアメリカに在住。ペンシルベニア州フィラデルフィアの郊外で成長し、チェルテナム高校を卒業した（兄も同高校を卒業している）。高校ではディベートクラブに所属していた（そのため英語に堪能であり、言葉にはフィラデルフィア訛りがあるという）。
高校卒業後にイスラエル国防軍に入隊し、上記のとおりサイェレット・マトカルに所属。1967年から1973年にかけて様々な軍務（第三次中東戦争、消耗戦争、サベナ航空572便ハイジャック事件の解決）に従事。1972年には肩を撃たれて負傷している。第四次中東戦争では部隊を率いてシリア領内に侵入した。1973年に除隊（最終階級は大尉）。
除隊後はアメリカに戻り、マサチューセッツ工科大学の理工学位とMITスローン経営大学院の学位を取得、ハーバード大学とMITで政治学を学んだ。三度結婚しており、最初の結婚で娘のノアをもうけた。現在は、客室乗務員だった三番目の妻サラと共に暮らし、ヤイール、アヴナー[8] の2人の息子がいる。ヤイールは現在、軍務に就いている[9]。
MITを優秀な成績で卒業後、1976年から1978年にかけてボストン・コンサルティング・グループで経営コンサルタントとして勤務し（当時の同僚に後のマサチューセッツ州知事となるミット・ロムニーがいた）、イスラエルに帰国。
政界入り
政治の世界に身を投じたきっかけは、後に国防相、外相をつとめることになる政界の大御所・モーシェ・アレンスの勧めによるものである。1982年には、当時駐米大使をつとめていたアレンスの下で勤務。1984年から1988年までは、同国の国連大使を務める。同年にはリクードから総選挙に出馬し国会議員に初当選を果たす。イツハーク・シャミール政権下で外務次官をつとめ、1991年、サッダーム・フセイン体制下にあった当時のイラク軍のクウェート侵攻に端を発する湾岸戦争の際、外務次官という立場でありながら事実上のスポークスマンとして自国の大義を力説。それも、米国人と寸分違わぬ英語での話術は脚光を浴び、政界のホープとして嘱望され始める。
転機となったのは、翌・1992年の総選挙である。カリスマ的な人気を誇ったイツハク・ラビン率いる労働党の前に、首相のシャミル率いるリクードは大敗して野党になった。シャミルは党首を辞任して政界を引退した。ネタニヤフは同年のリクード党首選に出馬、当選2回でありながら、ベニー・ベギンやダビッド・レビ、モシェ・カツァブを破り、リクードの党首になった。
首相職（1期目）
ネタニヤフはパレスチナ過激派のイスラエルに対する自爆攻撃が多発した1996年7月の総選挙で勝利し、1992年にクネセト（国会）で成立していた首相公選制に基づいて行われた首相選挙で選出された。シモン・ペレスはパレスチナ過激派の自爆攻撃を鎮めることができず、公の信頼は急速に低下していた。1996年3月3日、4日のパレスチナによる二度の自爆攻撃では32人のイスラエル人が死亡した。この攻撃がきっかけとなり、ペレスはテロリズムに対する無策が批判され結局選挙で敗北することとなる。ペレスと異なり、ネタニヤフはヤーセル・アラファートを信頼せず、和平プロセスはパレスチナ自治政府の義務であるとし、自国に対するあらゆる攻撃に対抗する姿勢を示した。
首相として彼はヤーセル・アラファートと交渉し、ワイ・リバー合意を成立させた。しかし多数の者がネタニヤフはパレスチナ自治政府との合意を遅らせようとしていると非難した。ネタニヤフの和平交渉へのアプローチは強者としてのイスラエルをパレスチナ側に押しつけるものであった。
- "彼らが与えるならば - 彼らは得ることができる。彼らが与えない場合 - 彼らの得る物は無い。"
- "יתנו - יקבלו. לא יתנו - לא יקבלו"
このアプローチはうまくいくように思われた。前任者ペレスや後任者バラックと異なり、ネタニヤフの在任期間はパレスチナの自爆攻撃は少なく比較的平静であった。1996年にネタニヤフとエルサレム市長エフード・オルメルトは嘆きの壁のトンネルに出口を開くことを決定した。この決定はパレスチナ人による三日間の暴動の口火となり、百人以上のパレスチナ人がイスラエル側によって殺害された。
対テロリズム政策の成功にもかかわらず、ネタニヤフは多くのエリートに嫌われ、メディアからは左翼と同一視された。一連のスキャンダル（彼の妻のゴシップを含む、97年には当時最側近だったツァヒ・ハネグビ法相に贈収賄疑惑が浮上するものの、最高検は嫌疑不十分で立件を断念している）と汚職に関する調査の後、ネタニヤフは大衆の支持を失った。
1999年の総選挙でエフード・バラック率いる労働党に敗北した後、ネタニヤフは、一時的に政治から身を引いた。
2000年以降の政治活動
汚職事件から身をかわすため、ネタニヤフは政治の世界から一時身を引き、議員の職も同時に辞していたが、2000年9月27日、イスラエル最高検が、ネタニヤフ夫妻の立件を証拠不十分で断念する。
これを受けネタニヤフは、既に死に体となっていたバラック政権倒閣・復権に乗り出そうとするが、既にリクード党首の地位にあったアリエル・シャロンの方が役者が一枚上手で、翌日9月28日神殿の丘訪問でリクードの末端党員・右派陣営の心を完全に掌握してしまう。進退窮まったバラックは首相職を辞任・再選挙に打って出るが、議員の職にないネタニヤフは出馬を封じられ、選挙はシャロンの圧倒的勝利に終わる。 その後、首相の椅子をつかんだシャロンとネタニヤフの関係は抜き差しならない状態となり、2002年5月にネタニヤフの傘下にあるリクード・中央委員会がパレスチナ国家反対決議を行うと、両者の溝は決定的になる。
2002年10月イスラエル労働党が政権を離脱、解散･総選挙の実施が決まり、リクード党首選が前倒しとなると、持論である「アラファト議長追放」「パレスチナ国家断固反対」を掲げ、シャロンと激突する。
2002年11月の党首選でシャロンがネタニヤフに圧勝した後、対立劇はいったん収束。2003年1月の総選挙でリクードが勝利すると、ネタニヤフは財務相に任命される。
しかし2004年2月、シャロンがガザからの全面撤退を掲げた一方的ガザ地区撤退計画を発表すると、両者の対立が再燃する。シャロンは末端党員の支持を受けた上で計画の実現を画策するが、2004年5月に行われたリクードの党員投票では20ポイントもの差をつけられ撤退計画は拒否される。ネタニヤフは当然反対の意を示し、シャロンの腹心だったリモール・リブナット教育相もこれを境にシャロンから離反してしまう。撤退計画は、シャロンとネタニヤフの権力闘争という意味合いだけではなく、党内の強硬派と穏健派の対立、党是であった大イスラエル主義（「約束の地」の範囲を元々イスラエルのものと捉える思想）の是非といった、古い問題を顕在化させてしまったのである。党員投票で敗れたシャロンは、これを機にリクードへの不信感を募らせ、このことが翌年の集団離党・カディーマ結党へつながっていった。一方的ガザ地区撤退計画は党員投票では否決されたものの、2004年10月、労働党の支持を得て国会で何とか通過させる。その際もリクードの40人の議員の内17人が造反。党は完全に分裂状態となる。
2005年8月7日、撤退計画の最終閣議決定の直前に、ネタニヤフは「ガザをテロリストの前線基地にする愚挙」として財務相を抗議の辞任、8月30日には本格的に倒閣運動に乗り出す。しかし、これも同年11月21日にシャロンらが集団離党する形で計画は頓挫する。ネタニヤフの決断が遅すぎたことと、シャロン以上に右寄りの政策（倒閣運動の翌日には、マアレ・アドゥミームを訪問し、ユダヤ人入植地の拡大を明言している）を打ち出さなければならなかったことも、彼には不利に働いた[10]。
財務相として、ネタニヤフはアル・アクサ・インティファーダの間にイスラエル経済回復のため大胆な計画経済を試みた。それは多数の論争の的となったが、計画はより多くの自由主義市場への動きを含んでいた。
リクード党首に再登板
2005年11月、シャロンやオルメルトが集団離党し、カディーマの結成に動くと、不在になった党首の座をめぐり、党首選が前倒しとなる。翌月・12月19日、ネタニヤフは47%の支持を得て党首に返り咲く。しかし、シャロンらの離党・カディーマの結成で中道票をこぞって奪われ、自身が掲げるサッチャー流の経済政策は、格差拡大を助長させると集中砲火を浴びる。2006年3月28日に行われた総選挙では、リクードは歴史的惨敗を喫する。わずか12議席に落ち込み、第4勢力にまで後退することとなった。そのため、リモール・リブナット元教育相などからは党首辞任を要求する声が出たが、大勢にはならず、ネタニヤフはその地位にとどまり、反撃の機会を窺っている。リクードの分裂は、党の弱体化を招いたものの、ネタニヤフの側近や党内強硬派は力を温存する純化路線を一方でもたらした。ただ、選挙後の支持率は挽回傾向にあり、2006年8月に行われた世論調査ではオルメルト首相を抑え、次期首相候補のトップに立った。これは、オルメルト政権によるレバノン侵攻の失敗と、そのレバノン侵攻の際、ネタニヤフは一切政局にすることなく黙々と政権支持を貫いたこと。このことに国民が好感を持ったためである。ガザ地区撤退計画の際のシャロンへの執拗な糾弾がたびたび非難を浴びていたため、ネタニヤフもそれを意識していたものと思われる。2007年1月に地元紙が行った世論調査によるとネタニヤフが率いるリクードは現在選挙が行われれば、29議席を獲得し、第1党になるとの結果が出た。一方のオルメルト首相のカディーマはわずか12議席との予測が出ており、現在はリクードが12,カディーマが29の議席をそれぞれ得ているので、オルメルト政権は発足後1年もたたないうちに逆転を許したことになる。2007年11月の世論調査でもリクードの支持は落ちていない。
また、ここ数年脅威が高まるイランの核武装については、極めて強硬な立場で、メナヘム・ベギン元首相が1981年にイラクのオシラク原子炉爆撃を断行したバビロン作戦を引き合いに出し、イスファハーンなど核関連施設への先制攻撃も辞さない考えを示している。
中東和平については、オルメルト政権が主張するヨルダン川西岸入植地解体、シリアとの和平交渉及びそれに伴うゴラン高原返還、エルサレム東西分割案に、いずれも「イスラエルを危険に晒す」として反対の姿勢を貫いている。
2007年8月14日に行われたリクードの前倒し党首選で、73%の得票で再選される。
2007年9月19日地元テレビのインタビューで同月6日のイスラエル空軍によるシリアへの限定空爆を暴露。オルメルト首相に支持する旨を伝えていたことを明らかにした。空爆施設は、シリアが北朝鮮の協力の下、核開発を進めていた疑いがもたれている。 2008年1月10日、イスラエルを訪問したジョージ・ブッシュ大統領会談し、イランの軍事的脅威に対する意見交換を行った。
復権・首相再登板へ
2009年2月10日に実施された、総選挙ではカディーマに第1党を譲ったものの、73万票弱を獲得、12議席から27議席へと大きく勢力を倍増させた。同選挙では、従来からの主張であるイランの核武装阻止、ガザ紛争後もハマースに対する攻勢強化を訴え人心を掴んだ。選挙戦の際にはゴラン高原を訪問、現地で植樹を行い入植地拡大を約束している[11]。また、同選挙ではかつて政策的に激しく対立していたベニー・ベギン元科学相[12]、ダン・メリドール元財務相と関係を修復するとともに、国民的人気の高いモーシェ・ヤアロン元参謀総長を三顧の礼で迎えた（3氏ともリクード公認・当選を果たしている）。同選挙では、政策的に近い右派・宗教政党が大きく躍進したことから、同諸政党が何れもネタニヤフを首相として推挙。同月19日にはこれまで態度を明らかにしていなかったイスラエル我が家がネタニヤフ支持を鮮明にしたことから、翌・20日にシモン・ペレス大統領がネタニヤフを首班とした組閣を要請。ネタニヤフ自身は、右派・宗教政党主体では政局運営が困難なことからカディーマを加えた大連立を模索しており、同月22日・28日に党首会談を行うも決裂。カディーマとの大連立は半ば断念するものの、労働党との連立交渉は進んでおり、政権発足は3月中旬になると見られていたが、労働党内で反発が強く労働党との交渉は難航。3月15日にはイスラエル我が家と政策合意、党首のアヴィグドール・リーベルマンの外相就任が確認された。同月23日には宗教政党・シャスと政策合意を果たした[13]。31日には右派連立内閣が発足、ネタニヤフは10年振りに首相の座に返り咲く事になった。
首相職（第2次）
労働党、シャスなど6党から成るネタニヤフ政権は、同年6月14日、対パレスチナ政策で微修正の動きを見せた。同日、ネタニヤフはテル・アヴィヴのバル＝イラン大学での演説で、限定的なパレスチナ国家容認に言及[14]。具体的には、同国家は非武装で、制空権を有しないこと。エルサレムの分割は行わないこと、既存入植地は今後も拡大を続ける。第一次中東戦争で難民となったパレスチナ人の帰還権（帰還権に関してはアラブ系と共産党を除く左右両派とも反対である）は認めないことなどがその柱である[15]。これらの政策修正はシャロン政権の前半に近いといえる。また、新中東和平案発表後の調査では71％が同案を評価、支持率も44％に急回復した[16]。また、同年11月17日には東エルサレムのギロに900戸の新規入植地建設を承認しエルサレム市がそれを執行することになった。一方、同月25日にはその相殺案としてヨルダン川西岸（ユダヤ・サマリア地区）への新規入植を10ヶ月間凍結する案（ただし、着工済の住宅建設については除外）を発表した[17]。暫定凍結案については労働党やベニー・ベギン無任所相らが一定の理解を示す一方[18]、党内の強硬派や[19] 入植者組合などからは激しい反発の声が上がっている[20]。しかしながら、凍結期限となった翌年9月26日以降は、凍結延長は行わず入植再開を粛々と断行した>[21]。また、翌・12月には、政局運営を円滑にするため、一度は決裂したカディーマとの大連立協議を行った[22][23] が、交渉は物別れに終わっている。翌・2010年1月20日には、パレスチナ人国家が樹立した後も、国防軍が引き続き治安維持の観点から駐留を継続する考えを示す[24][25]。ネタニヤフは前述の新和平案の中でもパレスチナ国家はあくまで非武装であることを前提条件としており、これはほとんどのパレスチナ人に受け入れられるものではなかった。2010年11月22日には、リクード有志議員が国会に提出していた、東エルサレム及びゴラン高原からの撤退（西岸は対象外）が行われる際には国民投票を義務付ける法案（国会で3分の2の賛成議決があれば実施されない）を、賛成65、反対33、棄権22の賛成多数で可決させパレスチナ側を牽制している[26]。2012年11月29日、国連総会がパレスチナのオブザーバーとしての資格を「組織」から「ノンメンバー(加盟国ではない、投票権のない)オブザーバー国家」に格上げする決議案を賛成多数で採択したことに反発し、ヨルダン西岸と東エルサレムでユダヤ人入植者向け住宅3000戸を建設する計画を発表[27]。
ガザ支援船拿捕
2010年5月31日に発生した、トルコからガザ地区へ人道支援のため向かっていた客船をイスラエル軍が拿捕し、トルコ人の人道支援活動家9人を殺害、乗船していた数十人の人道支援活動家を負傷させた事件に関しては、「正当防衛」であり「ハマース」支援のための船舶であったから攻撃したと弁明した。この事件は国際社会、ならびに人権活動家らから大きな非難を浴びたが、ネタニヤフは「我々は決して謝罪しない」と強硬姿勢を貫いた[28]。しかし、この姿勢にトルコは憤慨し、7月に入って、「イスラエルはトルコに謝罪せよ。謝罪をしないならば国際調査を受け入れよ。両方とも拒否するならば、イスラエルとの国交を断つ」という姿勢を見せて、イスラエル・トルコ間の緊張が高まった[29]。同年6月13日にイスラエル国内に設置された調査委員会（オブザーバーとしてデービッド・トリンブル元北アイルランド首席大臣も参加）は、調査の結果2011年1月23日に報告書を公表し支援船の急襲・拿捕は合法であり、ガザに対する軍の封鎖措置も合法であると結論付けた[30]。しかし、これはイスラエル人7人の識者によって構成された委員会であり、たんに政府の行動を正当化しただけの調査報告ともいえる。
首相職（第3次）
2013年1月22日の第19回クネセト総選挙においてリクードは右派政党イスラエル我が家と連合して戦った。両党を合わせると前回の選挙より議席を減らしたが合わせて31議席で第一党になり、ネタニヤフが議会の過半数をまとめて第3次ネタニヤフ政権(第33代政府)が発足した。
アメリカ合衆国議会合同会議の演説
2015年3月3日、アメリカ合衆国議会合同会議で39分間にわたる演説をし、オバマ大統領を攻撃した[31]。
首相職（第4次）
2015年5月6日、3月のクネセト総選挙の結果に基づいて第4次内閣の組閣が行われた。しかし、アヴィグドール・リーベルマン率いる世俗系極右「イスラエル我が家」が、閣僚ポストなどをめぐる対立から連立政権への参加を見送ったため、辛うじて議席の過半数を占めるにとどまり、かつてのように安定した政権運営はできないという見方が現地メディアを中心に広がった。また、アメリカとの関係改善も進まないとも予測された[32]。
首相の他に、厚生相、外相、地域協力相、コミュニケーション相も兼務した。
第21、22、23回総選挙
2018年12月に国会解散を決断し、次回クネセト総選挙を翌2019年4月9日と設定した[33] が、2019年2月28日にイスラエル検察当局が総選挙後にネタニヤフを収賄などの容疑で起訴する方針を発表するなど、リクードは劣勢に立たされた[34]。総選挙1カ月前の世論調査でも中道野党連合青と白がリクードをリードする結果が出ていた。
このためネタニヤフは将来のパレスチナ国家との共存を否定するなど右傾化を強め、総選挙を乗り切ろうと画策[35]。またネタニヤフとの関係が良かったアメリカのドナルド・トランプ大統領は3月25日、国際的にシリアの領土と認められているゴラン高原におけるイスラエルの主権を認め[36]、ネタニヤフを事実上アシストした[37]。こうしたかいあってか、4月9日の投開票では出口調査で与野党勢力は拮抗し、両者ともに勝利宣言を行ったが[38]、翌10日、右派連合で過半数を占める見通しとなり、野党連合・青と白の共同代表ベニー・ガンツ元軍参謀総長が敗北宣言を行った[39]。
首相職（第5次）
選挙結果に基づき、4月18日にルーベン・リブリン大統領がネタニヤフに組閣を要請し、第5次政権が発足するはずであった[40]。しかし期限の5月29日までにイスラエル我が家との対立点が埋まらず、連立政権交渉が妥結しなかったためネタニヤフは国会の解散を決定。9月17日に再選挙が行われたものの過半数を得た勢力はなく、組閣を要請されたものの10月21日に再び組閣を断念した[41]。同年12月26日のリクード党首選挙で再選[42]。
ネタニヤフは起訴を免れるための免責決議を議会に求めていたが否決される公算が大きく、2020年1月28日にこの申し立てを取り下げた。これにともない、検察はネタニヤフを収賄や背任などの疑いで即日起訴した[43][44]。
混迷のなか2020年3月2日に再々選挙が行われ、ネタニヤフ、ガンツの双方が組閣に失敗し続けたがCOVID-19の対応が求められる事態となったため、両者は方針を転換し4月20日に3年間の連立政権の樹立で合意[45]。ネタニヤフが収賄罪で起訴されていることから首相への就任は違法だとする申し立てが行われたが5月6日にイスラエル最高裁判所が棄却し[46]、翌7日にイスラエル議会の72人の議員がネタニヤフの首相就任支持を表明[47]。17日に議会が新政権を承認し、ネタニヤフを首相、ガンツを副首相兼国防大臣とする挙国一致内閣が発足。首相を2021年11月頃まで1年半務めた後、ガンツに首相職を譲ることとなった[48]。しかしネタニヤフの汚職疑惑などをめぐって両者の対立は深まり、12月23日の期限内に予算が成立しなかったため議会はまたも解散[49]。2020年末から2021年初にかけて、ユダヤ人ディアスポラを通じてファイザーから大量のCOVID-19ワクチンの優先的な提供を受け、国内でワクチンの大量接種を進め支持率の浮揚を図った[50][51]。2021年3月23日に執行された総選挙ではリクードが第1党となり4月6日に組閣を要請されたものの[52]、5月4日に組閣を断念[53]。6月3日、極右の新右翼や中道のイェシュ・アティッドなど野党8党が連立政権樹立で合意し[54][55]、議会は6月13日にナフタリ・ベネット新内閣を賛成60、反対59票の僅差で承認、第1次内閣を含め15年に及んだネタニヤフ政権は終焉を迎えた[56]。
首相職（第6次）
2022年11月1日に執行されたクネセト総選挙でリクードは32議席で第1党を維持し、右派連合が過半数の64議席を獲得し勝利[57]。13日にイツハク・ヘルツォグ大統領より組閣を要請された[58]。12月21日、極右・宗教政党と連立政権樹立で合意したと表明した[59]。同月29日、国会でこの連立政権が賛成多数で承認され、ネタニヤフ政権が正式に発足した[60]。
第6次内閣では裁判所が政府決定を覆すことを禁止するなど司法の権限を弱める改革を押し進め、全土で反対運動が起こる中2023年7月に司法改革法案を通した。しかし2024年1月1日、最高裁判所はこの司法改革法制は無効と判断した[61]。
2023年10月7日にハマースがガザ地区より2,000発以上のロケット弾を発射したほか、武装組織がイスラエル領内に侵入。イスラエル側も報復としてハマース拠点を中心に空爆を行い、双方合計で200名以上が死亡した。ネタニヤフは戦争状態にあると宣言し、ハマース幹部に対し経験したことがない代償を払うことになると警告した[62]。直後にアメリカ合衆国のジョー・バイデン大統領と会談し、イスラエルによる自衛権行使に対する支持を取り付けたほか、あらゆる適切な支援を提供する用意があるとの言葉を引き出した[63]。10月8日、ネタニヤフ政権はハマースに対して宣戦布告を決定し、重大な軍事活動を解禁すると宣言した[64]。10月11日には臨時の戦時内閣を組閣した[65]。
しかしハマースとの紛争は膠着状態に陥り、ガザ地区に対する攻撃が非人道的であると国際的な批判を浴びることとなる。2024年5月20日、国際刑事裁判所 (ICC) のカリム・カーン主任検察官がパレスチナ・イスラエル戦争における状況を踏まえ、ガラント国防相、ハマース幹部のハニーヤ政治局長、軍事部門トップのデイフ、ガザ地区指導者シンワルと共に、ネタニヤフに逮捕状を請求することが明らかにされた[66]。6月9日にガンツが戦時内閣からの離脱を宣言し[67]、1週間後の6月16日には戦時内閣の解散に追い込まれた[68]。11月21日、国際刑事裁判所は上述の請求を受け入れ、「戦争犯罪や人道に対する犯罪の疑い」があるとしてネタニヤフへ逮捕状を発行した[69][70]。ネタニヤフはこの決定に反発し、「反ユダヤ主義の措置」であると述べた[71]。
生い立ちと軍歴
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは1949年10月21日にイスラエルの首都テルアビブにて生まれた[72][73]。彼の母親のツィラ・シーガル（1912年 - 2000年）は、オスマン帝国のエルサレム・ムタサリファテのペタク・チクヴァで生まれ、父親のワルシャワ生まれのベンジオン・ネタニヤフ（旧名ミライコウスキー、1910年 - 2012年）は、スペインのユダヤ人黄金時代を専門とする歴史家であった。彼の父方の祖父のネイサン・ミライコウスキーはラビでシオニストの作家であった。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフの父親は委任統治領パレスチナに移住した際、自分の姓を「ミレイコフスキー」から「神が与えた」という意味の「ネタニヤフ」にヘブライ語化した。彼の家族は大部分がアシュケナージであるが、DNA検査の結果、セファラディ系の祖先を持っていることが判明したと彼は述べた。彼はビルナ・ガオンの子孫であると主張している[74][75]。
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは3人兄弟の2番目として生まれた。彼は当初エルサレムで育ち教育を受け、ヘンリエッタ・ソルド小学校に通った。6年生時の教師ルース・ルーベンシュタインからの評価のコピーによると、ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフが礼儀正しく、親切であることが示されていた。彼は「責任感があり、時間厳守」だった。そして、彼は友好的で規律正しく、陽気で、勇敢で、活動的で、従順だったという事の証明となった[76]。
1956年から1958年そして再び1963年から1967年にかけて[77]、父親のベンジオン・ネタニヤフがドロップシー大学で教鞭を執る間、家族はアメリカ合衆国フィラデルフィア郊外のペンシルべニア州チェルトナム・タウンシップに住んでいた[78]。ベンジャミンはチェルトナム高校 に通い卒業し、ディベートクラブ、チェスクラブ、サッカーで活躍した[78]。ベンヤミンと弟のヨナタンは、蔓延する若者のカウンターカルチャー運動や、家族が参加していた改革シナゴーグ、フィラデルフィアの神殿ユダヤの自由主義など、この地域で遭遇した表面的な生活様式に不満を抱くようになった[78]。
1967年に高校を卒業した後、ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはイスラエル国防軍に入隊するためにイスラエルに戻った。彼は戦闘兵士として訓練を受け、イスラエル国防軍の特殊部隊であるサイェレット・マトカルに5年間勤務した。彼は1967年から1970年の消耗戦争中に数多くの国境を越えた襲撃に参加し、その中には1968年3月にイスラエル国防軍がパレスチナ解放機構(PLO)の最高指導者ヤーセル・アラファートを捕らえるためにヨルダンを攻撃したカラメの戦いも含まれるが、多大な死傷者を出して撃退された[79][80]。彼は戦闘で何度も負傷した。彼は1968年のイスラエルによるレバノン襲撃や、 1972年5月に肩を撃たれてハイジャックされたサベナ571便の救出など、他の多くの任務に携わった。彼は1972年に現役を退役したが、サイエレット・マトカル予備役に残った。除隊後、彼はアメリカに留学したが、1973年10月にイスラエルに戻り、第四次中東戦争に従軍した[81][82]。彼はシリア領土奥深くでイスラエル国防軍部隊による攻撃を指揮する前に、スエズ運河沿いでエジプト軍に対する特殊部隊の襲撃に参加したが、その詳細は現在も機密のままである[83]。
教育
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはマサチューセッツ工科大学（MIT）で建築を学ぶため、1972年末にアメリカに帰国した。第四次中東戦争に参戦するためイスラエルに一時帰国した後、再びアメリカに戻り、ベン・ニタイという名で1975年2月に建築の学士号を取得し[84][85]、修士号を取得した[86]。 1976年6月にMITスローン経営大学院を卒業した。同時に、エンテベ襲撃で兄が死亡したことで学業が中断されるまで、政治学の博士号を目指して勉強していた[87][88][89]。
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはマサチューセッツ工科大学でダブルロードを学び、同時にハーバード大学でコースを受講し、ヨム・キプール戦争で戦うために休暇を取ったにもかかわらず、2年半で修士号を取得した。MITのレオン・B・グロワッサー教授は、「彼は素晴らしい仕事をした。とても聡明だった。組織的で、力強く、力強かった。彼は自分が何をしたいのか、そしてそれをどうやって成し遂げるのかを知っていた。」と回想した[90]。
その時、彼は名前をベンジャミン「ベン」ニタイに変更した（ニタイとは、ニタイ山とアルベラのユダヤ人の聖者ニッタイの名を冠したものであり、父親が記事によく使用したペンネームであった）[91]。数年後、ネタニヤフ首相はメディアとのインタビューで、アメリカ人が自分の名前を発音しやすくするためにそうすることにしたと明らかにした。この事実は、彼の政敵によって、イスラエルの国家的アイデンティティと忠誠心の欠如として間接的に彼を非難するために利用されてきた[92]。
1976年にベンヤミン・ネタニヤフの兄ヨナタン・ネタニヤフが殺害された。ヨナタンはベンジャミンの元部隊であるサイェレット・マトカルの指揮官を務めていたが、テロ対策人質救出作戦「サンダーボルト作戦」中に死亡した。同作戦では、テロリストにハイジャックされウガンダのエンテベ空港に運ばれた主にイスラエル人の人質100人以上を彼の部隊が救出した。
1976年にベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはMITスローン経営大学院をほぼ首席で卒業した[93]。
野党指導者 (1993–1996年)
1988年のイスラエル議会選挙の前にベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはイスラエルに戻り、リクード党に入党した。リクードの党内選挙でネタニヤフ首相は党員名簿で5位となった。その後、彼は第12期国会の議員に選出され、モシェ・アーレンス外務大臣の代理に任命され、その後デビッド・レヴィ外務大臣に任命された。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフとレヴィ外務大臣は協力せず、その後両者の対立は激化するばかりだった。1991年初頭の湾岸戦争中、英語が堪能なベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは、 CNNやその他の報道機関のインタビューでイスラエルの主要な報道官として登場した。1991年のマドリッド会議中、ネタニヤフはイツハク・シャミル首相率いるイスラエル代表団のメンバーだった。マドリード会談後、ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはイスラエル首相府の副大臣に任命された[94]。
1992年のイスラエル議会選挙でリクード党が敗北したことを受け、リクード党は1993年に党首選挙を実施し、ネタニヤフ首相が故メナヘム・ベギン首相の息子ベニー・ベギンと有力政治家デービッド・レヴィを破って勝利した[95]。（シャロンは当初リクード党の指導者にも就任しようとしたが、最小限の支持しか集めていないことが明らかになるやすぐに撤退した）。シャミールは1992年の選挙でリクードが敗北した直後に政界を引退した[96]。
オスロ合意を支持する集会の末にイツハク・ラビンが暗殺されたことを受け、ラビンの暫定後継者であるシモン・ペレスは、政府に和平プロセスを進める権限を与えるために早期選挙を実施することを決定した[97]。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは1996年5月29日に行われた1996年のイスラエル議会選挙におけるリクードの首相候補であり、イスラエル人が首相を直接選出した初のイスラエル選挙であった[98]。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは選挙運動を運営するためにアメリカ共和党の政治工作員アーサー・フィンケルスタインを雇い[99]、アメリカ流の激しい攻撃と鋭い攻撃は厳しい批判を引き起こしたが、ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは1996年の選挙で勝利し、国会議員の中で最年少となった。この地位の歴史と、イスラエル国生まれの初のイスラエル首相である（イツハク・ラビンは、1948年のイスラエル建国に先立って、イギリスのパレスチナ委任統治下にあるエルサレムで生まれた）[100]。
ネタニヤフ首相が選挙前の本命候補シモン・ペレスに勝利したことは多くの人を驚かせた。後者の崩壊の主なきっかけは、選挙直前の自爆テロの波であった。1996年3月3日と4日、パレスチナ人は2度の自爆テロを実行し、32人のイスラエル人を殺害したが、ペレスは攻撃を止めることができなかったようだ。選挙運動中、ネタニヤフ首相は、和平プロセスの進展はパレスチナ国家権力が主にテロとの戦いを中心とした義務を果たすことに基づくものであり、リクード選挙運動のスローガンは「ネタニヤフ首相 –安全な和平の実現」であると強調した。しかし、ネタニヤフは首相選挙に勝ったものの、クネセト選挙ではペレス率いるイスラエル労働党がより多くの議席を獲得した。ネタニヤフ首相は政権を樹立するために超正統派政党シャスとUTJとの連立に頼らなければならなかった。
首相 (1996–1999年)
前期
_-_P.M._BENJAMIN_NETANYAHU_SHAKING_HANDS_WITH_PALESTINIAN_AUTHORITY_CHAIRMAN_YASSER_ARAFAT.jpg)
自爆テロが相次ぎ、ハマスは爆撃のほとんどについて犯行声明を出した。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは首相として、オスロ合意の多くの中心的前提について多くの疑問を提起した。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフの主な論点の一つは、交渉は段階的に進められるべきであるというオスロの前提に同意できないことであり、これはエルサレムの地位やパレスチナ国家規約の改正などの主要な問題について解決に至る前にパレスチナ人に譲歩すべきであることを意味している。オスロ合意の支持者らは、多段階アプローチがパレスチナ人の間に友好関係を築き、後の段階でこれらの重大な問題が提起された際にパレスチナ人が和解を求めるよう促すだろうと主張していた。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは、こうした譲歩は過激派分子を勇気づけただけで、具体的な見返りは得られなかったと述べた。同氏はイスラエルの譲歩と引き換えにパレスチナ人の善意を示す具体的な行動を求めた。オスロ合意との相違を述べたにもかかわらず、ネタニヤフ首相はその履行を続けたが、首相就任後、和平プロセスは著しく停滞した。
1996年にネタニヤフ首相とエルサレムのエフド・オルメルト市長は、シモン・ペレス前首相が平和のために保留するよう指示していた嘆きの壁トンネルのアラブ人街の出口を開けることを決定した。これをきっかけにパレスチナ人による3日間の暴動が発生し、イスラエル人とパレスチナ人の双方で数十人が殺害された[101][102]
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ首相は1996年9月4日にパレスチナのアラファト大統領と初めて会談した。会談に先立ち、両首脳は電話で会談した[103]。会談は 1996 年の秋まで継続されることになった。最初の会談でネタニヤフ首相は次のように述べた。「互恵性と両国間の保証に基づいて、双方のニーズと要求を考慮しなければならないことを強調したい。イスラエル人とパレスチナ人双方の安全と幸福を同様に守ります。」アラファト大統領は「われわれはネタニヤフ首相および同政権と協力する決意だ」と述べた[104]。交渉は1997年1月14日にヘブロン合意の署名で最高潮に達した[105]。パレスチナ自治政府とのヘブロン議定書の署名により、イスラエル軍がヘブロンに再配置され、地域の大部分で文民権限がパレスチナ自治政府の管理下に移管された。
結局、和平プロセスの進展が見られなかったため、新たな交渉が行われ、 1998年にワイ川覚書が作成された。この覚書には、1995年の初期の暫定合意を履行するためにイスラエル政府とパレスチナ自治政府がとるべき手順が詳述されている。この覚書にはネタニヤフ首相が署名した。そして1998年11月17日に120人の議員からなるイスラエル議会のクネセトは75対19の投票でワイ川覚書を承認した。1967年のアラブ連盟の「イスラエルとの平和はない・イスラエルを承認しない・イスラエルと交渉しない」というハルツーム決議の「3つのノー」を引き合いに出し、ネタニヤフ首相は「3つのノー」政策を強調した。それは、ゴラン高原からの撤退なし、エルサレム問題についての議論なし、いかなる前提条件のもとでも交渉なしである[106]。
1997年にイスラエルとヨルダンが平和条約に署名してからわずか3年後にベンヤミン・ネタニヤフはイスラエルの隣国ヨルダンでハマスの指導者ハーリド・マシャアルを暗殺するモサドの作戦を承認した[107]。モサドチームの5人はカナダ人観光客を装って、1997年9月27日にヨルダンに入り、首都アンマンの路上でマシャルの耳に毒物を注射した。この陰謀は暴露され、2人の工作員がヨルダン警察に逮捕され、残りの3人はイスラエル大使館に隠れ、その後軍隊に包囲された[107]。怒ったフセイン王はイスラエルに解毒剤を渡すよう要求し、平和条約を破棄すると脅した[107]。ネタニヤフ首相はビル・クリントン米大統領の圧力を受けて要求に折れ、シェイク・アハマド・ヤシンを含むヨルダン人とパレスチナ人の捕虜61人の釈放を命じた。この事件により、平和条約を締結したばかりのイスラエルとヨルダンの関係が急激に悪化した[107]。
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ首相は任期中、経済自由化のプロセスも開始し、自由市場経済に向けた一歩を踏み出した。同氏の監視の下、政府は銀行や大手国営企業の株式の売却を開始した。ネタニヤフ首相はまた、イスラエルの厳しい外国為替規制を大幅に緩和し、イスラエル人が無制限に資金を国外に持ち出し、外国の銀行口座を開設し、外貨を保有し、他国に自由に投資できるようにした[108][109]。
_-_P.M._Netanyahu_Visiting_the_Western_Wall.jpg)
ネタニヤフ首相は任期を通じてイスラエルの政治的左派の反対を受け、ヘブロンなどでのパレスチナ人への譲歩とアラファトとの交渉全般のせいで右派からの支持を失った。ネタニヤフ首相は結婚や汚職容疑などのスキャンダルが長く続き、イスラエル国民の支持を失った。1997年、警察はネタニヤフ首相に影響力を広めた汚職容疑で起訴するよう勧告した。同氏は罪状を軽減する司法長官を任命した疑いで告発されたが、検察は裁判にかける証拠が不十分であるとの判決を下した[110]。1999年にイスラエル警察が政府請負業者からの無料サービス10万ドルを受け取るためにネタニヤフ首相を汚職容疑で裁判にかけるよう勧告したとき、ネタニヤフ首相は新たなスキャンダルに直面した。イスラエルの司法長官は証拠の困難を理由に起訴しなかった[111]。
選挙の敗北
1999年のイスラエル総選挙と首相直接選挙でイスラエル労働党を中心とした政党連合ワンイスラエルのエフード・バラクが勝利して新しい首相になることが決まったあと、ネタニヤフは新政権が発足する前に(暫定)首相とリクードの党首を辞任し、クネセト議員も辞職することを発表した[112]。その後、イスラエルの通信機器メーカーBATM Advanced Communicationsで上級コンサルタントを2 年間務めた[113][114][115]。
2000年末にバラク政権が崩壊すると、ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは政界復帰への意欲を表明した。法律により、バラクの辞任に伴い首相直接選挙だけを行うことになっていた。ネタニヤフ首相は(首相直接選挙だけでなく)総選挙も実施するよう主張し、そうしなければ安定した政権を維持することは不可能だと主張した。ネタニヤフは最終的に首相直接選挙に立候補しないことを決定したが、これが当時ネタニヤフよりも人気がないと考えられていたアリエル・シャロンの驚くべき台頭を促進した。この2001年の首相直接選挙でシャロンが勝利して首相になった。リクードと労働党などが協力して挙国一致政府(第29代政府)が成立した。
2002年9月9日にカナダのケベック州モントリオールのコンコルディア大学で予定されていたベンヤミン・ネタニヤフの演説は、数百人の親パレスチナデモ参加者が警備員を制圧し、ガラス窓を突き破ったため中止された。ネタニヤフ首相は抗議活動には参加せず、期間中ずっとホテルに滞在していた。その後、同氏は活動家らがテロリズムと「狂気の熱狂」を支援していると非難した[116]。数週間後の2002年10月1日、約200人のデモ参加者がピッツバーグのハインツ・ホール出演の外でベンヤミン・ネタニヤフと面会したが、ピッツバーグ警察、イスラエル治安部隊、ピッツバーグSWAT部隊はダウンタウンのホールやデュケイン・クラブ、郊外のロバートで演説を続けることを許可した[117]。
2002年9月12日にベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは米下院の監視・政府改革委員会で、イラク政権がもたらす核の脅威について（民間人としての宣誓のもと）次のように証言した。そして核兵器の開発に向けて前進していることには何の疑問もありません」と彼は語った。「そして、ひとたび彼がそれを手に入れると、歴史が即座に変わることに疑問の余地はありません。[118]」ネタニヤフは証言の中で、「もしあなたがサダム・フセインとその政権を排除すれば、それがこの地域に多大なポジティブな影響を与えることを保証する」とも述べた[119]。
2002年11月、イスラエル労働党が連立政権を離脱したため外相の座が空席になり、シャロン首相とネタニヤフは早期に総選挙を実施することと引き換えにネタニヤフがシャロンに協力して外務大臣になることで合意した[120][121]。ネタニヤフはシャロン党首に挑戦して2002年11月28日のリクード党首選挙で争ったが、シャロン55.88%対ネタニヤフ40.08%でシャロンが勝利して党首を続けることが決まった[122][123]。
財務大臣 (2003-2005年)
2003年1月の第16回イスラエル議会選挙でシャロン率いるリクードが勝利した後、多くの観察者が意外な動きとみなしたが、シャロン首相はシルバン・シャロームを外務大臣に任命し、ネタニヤフを財務大臣に任命した。一部の専門家は、シャロン首相が外相として示した有能性を考えるとベンヤミン・ネタニヤフを政治的脅威とみなしたためこのような動きをしたのではないか、経済が不安定な時期にネタニヤフを財務大臣に据えることでネタニヤフの人気を低下させることができるのではないかと推測している。ネタニヤフは新たな任命を受け入れた。シャロンとネタニヤフは、シャロン首相によるイスラエルの軍事・外交管理に対するネタニヤフの沈黙と引き換えに、ネタニヤフが財務大臣として完全な自由を与え、シャロン首相の全ての改革を支持させるという合意に達した[124]。
ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフは財務大臣として、イスラエル経済を第2次インティファーダの低迷期から回復させるための経済計画に着手した。ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ財務大臣は、経済成長を抑制する主な原因は公共部門の肥大化と過剰な規制にあると主張した。彼の計画には、より自由化された市場への移行が含まれていたが、批判がなかったわけではなかった。同氏は人々に仕事や訓練への応募を義務付けることで福祉依存をなくすプログラムを制定し、公共部門の規模を縮小し、政府支出を3年間凍結し、財政赤字の上限を1％に設定した。税制の合理化と減税が行われ、個人の最高税率は64％から44％に、法人税率は36％から18％に引き下げられた。銀行、石油精製所、エルアル国営航空会社、ジム統合海運サービスなど、数十億ドル相当の多数の国資産が民営化された。男女ともに退職年齢が引き上げられ、為替法もさらに自由化された。商業銀行は長期貯蓄を分離せざるを得なくなった。さらに、ネタニヤフ財務大臣は競争を激化させるために独占企業やカルテルを攻撃した。イスラエル経済が急成長し始め、失業率が大幅に低下すると、ネタニヤフ財務大臣は任期終了までに「経済の奇跡」を起こしたと評論家らから広く認められた[125][126][127]。
しかし、労働党の反対派（そして同氏のリクード内部の少数派も）は、ネタニヤフ財務大臣の政策を、尊敬されるイスラエルの社会的セーフティネットに対する「サッチャライト」の攻撃とみなした[128][出典無効]。最終的に、経済成長が急上昇する一方で失業率は減少し、債務対GDP比は世界最低水準に低下し、海外投資は記録的な高水準に達した[129]。
2004年、ガザ地区撤退計画に反対しているネタニヤフ財務大臣は、シャロン首相が住民投票なしにガザ地区撤退を行おうとすれば大臣を辞任すると脅した。その後、彼は最後通告を修正して国会でこの計画に賛成票を投じ、その直後に14日以内に国民投票が行われない限り辞任する意向を示した[130]。2005年8月7日にネタニヤフは大臣を辞任した。そのすぐあと、イスラエル内閣は閣議でガザの入植地のうち3つからの立ち退きを17対5で承認した[131]。
野党指導者 (2006-2009年)
2005年11月にイスラエルの首相でリクードの党首のシャロンがリクードを離党したため、ネタニヤフはリクード党首の有力候補のうちの一人となった。これに先立って彼が最近試みたのは2005年9月で、リクード党が首相の座にある間に同党党首の座を賭けた予備選を早期に実施しようとしたことで、事実上アリエル・シャロンを辞任させた。党はこの構想を拒否した。2005年12月20日、ネタニヤフはリクードの党首選挙で47％を獲得し、シルヴァン・シャロームが32％、モーシェ・フェイグリンが15％となり、リクードの党首の座を取り戻した[132]。2006年3月のクネセト選挙ではリクードがカディマ、労働党に次ぐ第3位となり、ネタニヤフが野党指導者(野党第一党の党首)を務めた[133]。 2007年8月14日にネタニヤフは極右候補のモシェ・フェイグリンと世界リクード議長のダニー・ダノンに対し、投票の73%を獲得してリクード議長および首相候補に再選された[134]。彼は、クネセト反対派の他のメンバーと同様に、2008年のイスラエルとハマスの停戦に反対した。具体的にネタニヤフは、「これは緊張緩和ではない。イスラエルはハマスが軍事力を立て直すことに合意したようなものだ。これと引き換えに我々は何を得るだろうか？」と述べた[135]。
2008年前半に医師らは良性であることが判明した小さな結腸ポリープを切除した[136]。
ツィピ・リブニがカディマ党首に選出され、オルメルトが首相職を辞任した後、ネタニヤフはリブニが結成しようとしていた連立政権への参加を拒否し、解散と総選挙を行うよう求めた[137][138]。 リブニが過半数をまとめることができず連立政権を形成できなかったため、解散と総選挙が決まった。
2009年2月10日に行われた第18回イスラエル議会選挙で、リブニが率いる政党カディマが28議席で第一党に、ネタニヤフが率いる政党リクードが27議席で第二党になった。リクードの比較的不振の説明として考えられるのは、それまでリクードを支持していた人の一部が今回はアヴィグドール・リーベルマン率いるイスラエル・ベイテヌ党に投票したことである。しかし、リクードを中心とした右翼ブロック全体では過半数を獲得したため、ネタニヤフはイスラエル大統領シモン・ペレスから首相に指名され、政党間の連立協定の交渉を開始した。
右派政党が国会で65議席の過半数を獲得したにもかかわらず、ネタニヤフはより広範な中道連合を好み、ライバルであるツィピ・リブニが率いる政党カディマに政権への参加を求めた。和平プロセスの進め方をめぐる意見の相違が障害となり、今回はリヴニが参加を拒否する番となった。ネタニヤフは、エフド・バラクが党首を務める小規模なライバルである労働党を政権に参加させることに成功し、ある程度中道派の色合いを与えた。ネタニヤフは2009年3月31日、クネセト(国会)に新しい内閣を承認するよう求めた。その日、第32次政権は議員69名対45名(棄権5名)の過半数によって承認され、就任宣誓した[139][140]。これで第32次政権が成立して、正式に首相になった。
首相 (2009-2021年)
2期目
2009年3月3日にヒラリー・クリントン米国務長官は、パレスチナ国家樹立への支持を表明した 。しかしながらこの解決策は、以前米国の協力を約束していたベンヤミン・ネタニヤフによって支持されていない[141][142]。4月、オバマ大統領政権の特使ジョージ・ミッチェルの到着に際し、ネタニヤフ首相は、パレスチナ人との交渉促進にはパレスチナ人がイスラエルをユダヤ国家として承認することが条件となると述べた[143]。
2009年6月4日のオバマ大統領のイスラム世界に対するカイロ演説で、オバマ大統領はとりわけ「米国はイスラエル入植継続の正当性を認めていない」と述べた。オバマ大統領のカイロ演説後、ネタニヤフ首相は直ちに特別政府会議を招集した。オバマ大統領のカイロ演説から10日後の6月14日、ネタニヤフ首相はバル＝イラン大学で演説し、エルサレム(東西エルサレム)がイスラエルの統一首都であり続けるべきだとしながらも、「パレスチナ人がパレスチナ難民をイスラエル国内に定住させようとする要求(パレスチナ人の帰還権)を放棄して(イスラエルがパレスチナ人の国家にならないように)イスラエルをユダヤ人の国家として認めて、かつ、パレスチナ国家が非武装化されるという保証があれば、私達は非武装のパレスチナ国家を認める用意がある」と述べた[144][145]。同氏はまた、ヨルダン川西岸の既存のユダヤ人入植地の「自然な成長」の権利を主張したが、その永久的な地位は今後の交渉次第だという。パレスチナ高官サエブ・エレカットは、エルサレム、難民、入植地に関するネタニヤフ首相の宣言により、この演説は「恒久的地位交渉への扉を閉ざした」と述べた[146]。
任期開始から3か月後、ネタニヤフ首相は、彼の内閣がすでに機能する挙国一致政府の樹立や「二国家解決策」に対する広範な合意など、いくつかの注目すべき成功を収めたと述べた[147]。ハアレツによる2009年7月の調査では、ほとんどのイスラエル人がネタニヤフ政権を支持しており、ネタニヤフ政権の個人的な支持率は約49%であることが判明した[148]。ネタニヤフ首相は移動の自由と輸入の流れを許可するためにヨルダン川西岸の検問所を解除した。これはヨルダン川西岸の経済活性化につながりました[149][150]。2009年にネタニヤフ首相はアラブ和平構想（「サウジ和平構想」としても知られる）を歓迎し、バーレーンのサルマン ・ビン・ハマド・ビン・イーサ・アル・ハリファ皇太子のサウジアラビアの関係正常化の呼びかけを称賛した[151][152]。
2009年8月にパレスチナ自治政府のマフムード・アッバス議長は、国連総会でネタニヤフ首相と会談する用意があると宣言し、そこでネタニヤフ首相はオバマ大統領の「三国首脳会談」への招待を受け入れたが、それが必ずしも首脳会談につながるわけではないと述べた[153]。ネタニヤフ首相はこれらの合意をめぐって極めて重要な時期にあると報告されており、その合意には、その後のすべての入植地を凍結することと引き換えに、ヨルダン川西岸でのすでに承認された建設の継続許可と東部での建設継続の許可をめぐる妥協が含まれていると報告されているエルサレム、そして同時にそこに住むアラブ人の家の破壊を止めた[154]。2009年9月4日にネタニヤフ首相は一時入植地凍結協定が締結される前に、より多くの入植地建設を承認するという入植者の政治的要求に同意する予定であると報じられた[155]。ホワイトハウス報道官ロバート・ギブスは、この動きに対して「遺憾の意」を表明した[156]。しかし、ある米国当局者は、この措置によって「列車が脱線する」ことはないと述べた[157]。
2009年9月7日にネタニヤフ首相は行き先を報告せずに執務室を去った。首相の軍事長官メイル・カリフィ少将はその後、ネタニヤフ首相がイスラエルの治安施設を訪問したと報告した[158]。いくつかの異なる通信社が、彼がどこにいたかについていくつかの異なる記事を報じた[159]。2009年9月9日にイェディオト・アハロノスは、イスラエル指導者がS-300対空ミサイルシステムをイランに売却しないようロシア当局者を説得するために秘密裏にモスクワに飛んだと報告した[160][161][162]。見出しはネタニヤフ首相を「嘘つき」と決めつけ、この事件を「大失敗」と呼んだ。その後、この事件を理由に首相の軍事長官が解任されると報じられた[163][164][165]。サンデー・タイムズ紙は、この訪問は、イスラエルがイランの核兵器開発疑惑を幇助していると信じているロシアの科学者の名前を共有するために行われたと報じた[166]。
2009年9月24日にネタニヤフ首相はニューヨークの国連総会での演説で、イランは世界の平和に対する脅威であり、イスラム共和国の核兵器取得を阻止するのが世界機関の義務であると述べた[167][168]。ネタニヤフ首相はアウシュヴィッツの青写真を振りかざし、ナチスに殺害された自身の家族の記憶を呼び起こし、ホロコーストに関するイラン大統領マフムード・アフマディネジャドの質問に対して熱烈かつ公の場で反撃し、「恥じることはないのか？」と問いかけた[169]。
双方に和平交渉の再開を促すオバマ政権からの圧力に応え、2009年11月25日にネタニヤフ首相は10か月間の入植地建設の一部凍結計画を発表した。イスラエルの大手日刊紙ハアレツの分析によると、発表された部分凍結は実際の入植地建設に大きな影響はなかったという[170]。米国特使ジョージ・ミッチェルは、「米国はイスラエルのジェスチャーの限界についてアラブ諸国の懸念を共有しているが、これはどのイスラエル政府がこれまでに行った以上のものである」と述べた。発表の中でネタニヤフ首相はこの動きを「和平プロセスを促す痛みを伴う措置」と呼び、パレスチナ側に対応を促した[171][172]。パレスチナ人は、ヨルダン川西岸地区で最近承認された数千の入植地建物が引き続き建設され、東エルサレムでの入植活動が凍結されることはないという点で、このジェスチャーは「重要ではない」と述べて、この呼びかけを拒否した[173]。
2010年3月にイスラエル政府は、このような行為はイスラエルとエルサレム間の和平交渉を妨害するという現米国政府の立場にもかかわらず、ラマト・シュロモと呼ばれる東エルサレム北部の大規模ユダヤ人住宅開発地に追加の1,600戸のアパートの建設を承認した[174]。パレスチナ人。イスラエル政府の発表はジョー・バイデン副大統領の訪問中に行われ、その後米国政府はこの計画に対して強い言葉で非難を発表した[175]。ネタニヤフ首相はその後、これまでのすべてのイスラエル政府が近隣での建設を継続的に許可しており、ラマト・シュロモやギロなどの特定の近隣地域は、どちらかが提案した最終合意案に常にイスラエルの一部として含まれてきたと声明を発表した。今日までの側面。ネタニヤフ首相は発表のタイミングを遺憾に思ったが、「エルサレムに対する我々の政策は、42年間全イスラエル政府が踏襲してきた政策と同じであり、変わっていない」と主張した[176]。
2010年9月にネタニヤフ首相はオバマ政権の仲介で久しぶりにパレスチナ人との直接交渉に入ることに同意した[177]。これらの直接対話の最終的な目的は、ユダヤ人とパレスチナ人のための二国家解決策を形成することによって、イスラエル・パレスチナ紛争に対する公式の「最終的地位解決」の枠組みを築くことである。9月27日に10カ月間の入植凍結が終了し、イスラエル政府は東エルサレムを含むヨルダン川西岸での新規建設を承認した[178]。2011年7月に退任する際、元米国国防長官ロバート・ゲーツはネタニヤフ首相は米国に恩知らずでイスラエルを危険にさらしていると述べた。これに対しリクード党は、大多数のイスラエル国民が首相を支持しており、同首相は米国で幅広い支持を得ていると述べてネタニヤフ首相を擁護した[179][180]。
ネタニヤフ首相は、1987年に米国の機密文書をイスラエルに渡した罪で終身刑を受けている米国人ジョナサン・ポラードの早期釈放を求めたが、失敗した。彼は1998年のワイ川サミットでこの問題を提起し、そこでビル米国大統領は次のように主張した。クリントン国務長官はポラード釈放に内密に同意していた[181][182]。2002年にネタニヤフ首相はノースカロライナ州刑務所にいるポラードを訪問した。イスラエル首相はポラードの妻との連絡を維持し、オバマ政権にポラードの釈放を積極的に圧力をかけた[183][184][185][186]。
2011年に社会正義を求める抗議活動がイスラエル全土で勃発しました。イスラエル全土で数十万人が生活費の高さに抗議した。これに応じてネタニヤフ首相は、問題を調査し解決策を提案するために、マヌエル・トラジテンベルグ教授が委員長を務めるトラジテンベルグ委員会を任命した。委員会は2011年9月に、高い生活費を引き下げるための勧告を提出した[187]。ネタニヤフ首相は改革案を閣議で一括して推進すると約束したが、連立政権内の意見の相違により、改革案は徐々に採用されることになった[188][189]。
ネタニヤフ首相の内閣はまた、全家庭に安価で高速な光ファイバー・インターネット・アクセスを提供するために、全国に光ファイバー・ケーブル・ネットワークを構築する計画を承認した[190][191]。
2012年、ネタニヤフは当初早期選挙の実施を計画していたが、その後、2013年の国政選挙までイスラエルを最後までやり遂げるために物議を醸す挙国一致政府の樹立を監督した[192]。2012年5月、ネタニヤフは初めて正式に選挙の権利を認めた。パレスチナ人が独自の国家を持つためには、公式文書であるマフムード・アッバスへの書簡の中で、以前と同様[193]、非武装化する必要があると宣言した[194]。2012年10月25日、ネタニヤフ首相とアヴィグドール・リーベルマン外務大臣は、それぞれの政党であるリクードとイスラエル・ベイテイヌが、2013年1月22日に予定されているイスラエル総選挙で比例名簿を統合して共同立候補すると発表した[195]。
3期目
2013年の第19回クネセト総選挙では、ネタニヤフ首相率いる政党連合リクード・ベイテイヌは、リクードとイスラエル・ベイテイヌの前回の選挙の合計議席よりも11議席減ったが、第一党になった。イスラエルのシモン・ペレス大統領は、クネセトの第一党のネタニヤフに第33回イスラエル政府樹立の任務を課した。3月に第3次ネタニヤフ内閣(第33代政府)が成立した。新しい連立政権にはイェシュ・アティド党、ユダヤ人の家党、ハトヌア党が含まれており、イェシュ・アティド党とユダヤ人の家の主張により超正統派政党は除外されて野党になった。
ネタニヤフ首相の3期目の間、経済自由化政策を継続した。2013年12月に国会は企業集中法を承認した。これは、消費者物価を引き下げ、所得格差を縮小し、経済成長を促進するために、イスラエルの高度に集中した経済を競争に開放することを目的としたものである。ネタニヤフ首相は2010年に集中委員会を設置しており、同法案は同政権によって推進され、その勧告を実施した。新しい法律は、CEOの家族やその他の関係者が公開会社を保有し、その公開会社が他の公開会社を所有し、価格つり上げを行うことができる多層的な企業保有構造を禁止した。この法律の下では、企業は2層以上の上場企業を所有すること、および金融企業と非金融企業の両方を保有することが禁止された。すべての複合企業には、過剰保有株を売却するために 4 ～ 6 年の猶予が与えられた[196][197]。ネタニヤフ首相はまた、消費者物価を下げて輸出を増やすために、イスラエル港湾管理局の労働者による独占とみなしたものを打破するために港湾民営化のキャンペーンを開始した。2013年7月に彼はハイファとアシュドッドの民間港建設の入札を発行した[198]。ネタニヤフ首相はまた、産業界の負担を軽減するために過剰な官僚主義と規制を抑制すると約束した[199]。
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2014年4月と6月にも、ネタニヤフ首相はハマスとパレスチナ自治政府が合意して統一政府を樹立した際に深い懸念を表明し、パレスチナ連立政府と協力するという米国と欧州の両政府の決定を厳しく批判した[200]。彼は、2014年6月にイスラエルの十代の若者3人を誘拐・殺害したのはハマスだと非難し[201]、ヨルダン川西岸で特にハマスのメンバーを標的とした大規模な捜索・逮捕作戦を開始し、その後ガザ地区で数週間の間に60の標的を攻撃した。2014年6月30日に政府が疑う十分な理由があったため、ほぼ即時に殺害された十代の若者たちの遺体が発見された後、ガザ過激派とイスラエル国防軍の間のミサイルとロケット弾の交換はエスカレートした[202]。数人のハマスの工作員の後、爆発かイスラエルの爆撃で死亡したため、ハマスはガザからイスラエルにロケット弾を発射すると公式に宣言し[203]、イスラエルはガザ地区でプロテクティブエッジ作戦を開始し、2012年11月の停戦協定を正式に終了させた[204]。首相は米国のテレビ番組を一巡し、CNNのインタビューでハマスを「大量虐殺テロリスト」と評した[205]。作戦によるガザ地区の人々の死傷者が「第三次インティファーダ」を引き起こす可能性があるかとの質問に対し、ネタニヤフ首相はハマスがその目標に向かって取り組んでいると答えた[206]。
2014年10月にネタニヤフ政権は政府企業の汚職と政治化を減らし、イスラエルの資本市場を強化する民営化計画を承認した。この計画では、兵器製造会社、エネルギー会社、郵便会社、水道会社、鉄道会社を含む国有企業、およびハイファ港とアシュドッド港の少数株主が最大49％保有される[207]。同月にネタニヤフ首相は入植地批判を「アメリカの価値観に反する」と呼び、この発言はホワイトハウス報道官のジョシュ・アーネストからの激しい叱責を受けたが、彼はアメリカの価値観がイスラエルに継続的な資金提供だけでなく、その結果をもたらしたと指摘した。ただし、アイアンドームなどの保護技術。ネタニヤフ首相は、ユダヤ人が住む場所に対する制限は受け入れられないと説明し、エルサレムのアラブ人とユダヤ人は望む場所で住宅を購入できるべきだと述べた。米国の非難には「困惑している」と述べた。ホワイトハウスは「それはアメリカの価値観に反している。そして平和にとって良い前兆ではない。平和の条件としてこの民族浄化を行うという考えは、反平和だと思う。」と声明を出した[208][209][210]。それから間もなく、アトランティック紙のジェフリー・ゴールドバーグは、米政権がイスラエルの入植政策に怒り、ネタニヤフがイスラエルに対する軽蔑を表明し、ネタニヤフとホワイトハウスの関係が新たな最低水準に達したと報じた[211]。
2014年12月2日にネタニヤフ首相は中道派イエシュ・アティド党を率いるヤイル・ラピド財務大臣と、ハトヌア党を率いるツィピ・リブニ法務大臣の2人の閣僚を解任した。この変化は政府の解散につながり、2015年3月17日に新たな選挙が予定されている[212]
2015年1月にネタニヤフ首相は米国議会での演説に招待された。この演説はネタニヤフ首相の合同議会での3度目の演説となった。彼が議会で演説することを発表する前日、タイム紙は、彼が米国議員とモサド長官タミル・パルドとの会談を妨害しようとしたと報じ、モサド長官は核開発を狂わせる可能性のあるイランに対するさらなる制裁の発動に対して警告するつもりだった[213][214]。演説に先立って、2015年3月3日、米国のイスラエル総領事は「米国のユダヤ人コミュニティとイスラエルの同盟国からの激しい否定的な反応を予想していた」。反対意見には、オバマ政権の支援と関与なしでの演説の取り決めや、2015年3月17日のイスラエルの選挙前の演説のタイミングなどが含まれていた。アメリカのユダヤ系議員7名がロン・ダーマー駐米イスラエル大使と会談し、ネタニヤフ首相に対し、代わりに議員らと非公開で会談してイランについて議論するよう勧告した[215]。ネタニヤフ首相は演説において、世界中のすべてのユダヤ人を代弁していると主張したが、この主張にはユダヤ人コミュニティの他の人々が異議を唱えた[216][217][218][219]。ユダヤ人の平和の声の事務局長であるレベッカ・ビルコマーソンは、「アメリカのユダヤ人は、ネタニヤフやその他のイスラエルの政治家が、我々が選んだわけではなく、私たちの代弁者であると主張することを選択しないでください。」と述べた[220]
2015年のイスラエル選挙で接戦とみられていた選挙日が近づく中、ネタニヤフ首相は自分の任期中にパレスチナ国家は樹立されないのかとの質問に「その通り」と答えた。同氏は、選挙運動の中で「今、パレスチナ国家を樹立するために誰かが(パレスチナに)土地を明け渡すと、それはイスラム過激派にイスラエルを攻撃する場所を提供することになると思う」と述べた[221]。しかし当選後、MSNBCのインタビューで、ネタニヤフ首相は「パレスチナ問題で右に舵を切ったわけではない、私は政策を変えていない。ユダヤ国家を承認する非武装のパレスチナ国家を呼びかける2009年のバル=イラン大学での演説を撤回していない。私は一国家解決を望まない。私は平和的で持続可能な二国家解決を望んでいる。しかしそのためには状況を変える必要がある。」と言った[222][223]。
4期目
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2015年3月の第20回クネセト総選挙で、ネタニヤフが党首を務めるリクードが30議席分の票を得て、第一党になった。リブリン大統領は、期限の4週間までに議会の過半数をまとめる連立協定を結ぶことができなかったネタニヤフに、2015年5月6日までその期限の延長を認めた[224]。5月6日の期限の直前に彼とリクード党はユダヤ人の家、統一トーラーユダヤ教、クラヌ、そしてシャスと61議席の連立政権を結成した[225][226]。
2015年5月28日にネタニヤフは、次の総選挙で前例のない5期目の首相に立候補し、リクード党内のMK(クネセト議員)候補者を選ぶ現在のプロセスを支持すると発表した[227]。
2015年8月にネタニヤフ政権は、農業改革と輸入関税の引き下げを削減する2年間の予算を承認した。食料価格、住宅コストの削減とインフラ構築のスピードアップのための建設における承認プロセスの規制緩和、競争と金融サービスの手数料の削減を促進するための金融部門の改革を行った[228][229]。結局、政府はいくつかの重要な農業改革を取り除くことによって妥協を余儀なくされた[230]。
2015年10月にネタニヤフは「ナチスのアドルフ・ヒトラーは、当初はユダヤ人を絶滅させようとはせず、ユダヤ人を追放しようとした。しかし当時のエルサレムのグランドムフティ(パレスチナのイスラム教の指導者)のアミーン・フサイニーがヒトラーに面会して、もしユダヤ人を追放すれば彼らはパレスチナに来るだろうと言い、それでどうしたいかとヒトラーに問われ、ユダヤ人を燃やせと答えた」と発言して広範な批判を受けた[231][232][233]。この考えは主流の歴史家によって否定されている[234]。歴史家は、アミーン・フサイニーとヒトラーのこの会談が行われるよりも前に、すでにナチスによるユダヤ人の大量殺人が始まっていたと言っている[235]。ネタニヤフは後に「私の先の発言の目的は、ヒトラーに罪が無いと言いたかったわけではなく、国家(イスラエル)がまだない頃、いわゆる占領がまだない頃、(イスラエルの)領土や入植地もない頃に、現在パレスチナ国家の父として尊敬されている人物が、ユダヤ人の破壊を熱望して組織的に扇動していたと示すことだった。そして、その扇動は現在も続いている」と説明した[236][237]。ドイツの首相アンゲラ・メルケルは、ネタニヤフとの共同会見で、ホロコースト(ショアー)は(パレスチナではなく)ドイツだけに責任があるとの歴史認識に変更はないと述べた[238]。最も強い批判のいくつかは、イスラエルの学者から来た。イェフダ・バウアーは、ネタニヤフの主張は「完全にばかげている」と述べた[239][240]。モシェ・ツィンマーマンは、「どんな形であれ、ヒトラーから他の人に責任をそらそうとする試みは、ホロコーストの否認にあたる」と述べた[241]。サイモン・ウィーゼンタール・センターのen:Efraim_Zuroffは「ネタニヤフの発言は間違いだが、ムフティがホロコーストに関係していることは歴史的事実だ」と言っている。David S. Wyman Instituteのen:Rafael_Medoffは「4000人のユダヤ人を(当時の)パレスチナに送還する計画にムフティは反対して、その結果そのユダヤ人はアウシュビッツに送られた。ムフティはユダヤ人が殺されることになるとわかっていたことを示すたくさんの証拠がある」と言った[242]。
2016年3月にネタニヤフの連合政権は、超正統派のメンバーが非正統派の祈りのスペースを作るために政府が提案したステップを撤回すると脅したため、潜在的な危機に直面した。彼らは、政府が保守党のさらなる公式の州の承認を提供する場合、連合を離れると述べた[243]。
政策・主張
党内では右派に属しており、保守的な政策で知られる。その一方で、LGBTに対する権利については認めている。
司法
ネタニヤフは死刑存置論に属しており、入植地のハラミッシュで発生した凶悪事件では犯人の死刑を主張していた。
批判
ホロコーストに関する発言
第二次世界大戦中のホロコーストによるユダヤ人虐殺をアドルフ・ヒトラーに提案したのは当時のパレスチナ指導者アミーン・フサイニーであるという主張をしばしば行い、パレスチナ側はもとよりイスラエル国内からも批判を受けている[244]。ドイツのメルケル首相は「ナチスの責任だとドイツ人は、はっきり認識している」とネタ二ヤフに反論している[245]。
マスコミによる批判
2010年12月26日付のイスラエル紙「ハアレツ」は、社説で「ネタニヤフは右翼とカハネ主義者を勇気付けている」と題し、ネタニヤフがエリトリアやスーダンなどから戦火や抑圧、貧困から逃れるためにイスラエルにやって来た不法移民たちを「市民を脅かし、イスラエルの雇用を脅かし、ユダヤ人民主国家を脅かしている洪水である」と発言したことについて、「カハネ主義者や右翼のラビといった人種差別主義者たちによる攻撃の格好の標的を作った」と書き、ネタニヤフを厳しく批判した[246]。
民衆による批判
2011年7月に、住宅価格や物価の高騰、激しい貧富の差などに抗議する大規模なデモがイスラエル国内で行われるようになり、ネタニヤフはイスラエル国民からこれまでにない激しい批判にさらされている[247]。
国内政治家による批判
元イスラエル諜報特務庁長官のタミル・パルド(英語版)は、ネタニヤフの司法改革や外交政策に対し厳しく批判しており「ネタニヤフはイスラエルをアパルトヘイト国家にしようとしている」と非難している[248]。
ハダシュ党首のアイマン・オデフ(英語版)はネタニヤフのアラブ人に対する政策と、ガザ侵攻の代表される戦争に反対し、彼を人権侵害を行なっているシリアと比較していた。
危機管理への批判
ネタニヤフは保守（右派）系の政治家であるが、2023年10月7日のハマースの奇襲攻撃を事前に察知できなかった事、ハマースの戦闘員がイスラエル国土に侵入した後も対応が遅れた事への批判が保守系のイスラエル国民の間で広がった。 イスラエル国防軍はアジアで最も実戦経験があり諜報機関も優秀だったにもかかわらず200人以上のイスラエル国民の拉致が発生したこともダメージコントロールが出来ていないという責任追及がなされている[249]。イスラエル国民の94％がハマスへの対応における準備不足の責任は政府にあると考えており、56％はネタニヤフは紛争終結後に辞任すべきだとしている[4]。
2023年の戦争に対する批判
2023年パレスチナ・イスラエル戦争において大臣のアミハイ・エリヤフが「ガザに原爆を使うのも選択肢の一つ」と発言した[250][251]ことや、ネタニヤフが本戦争に対しヘブライ語聖書[注 1]を引用し、「アマレク人が我々に対して何をしたかを思い起こせと私たちの聖書が呼び掛けている」「私たちはアマレク人の所業を記憶している」[252]と発言したことに批判が集まった（「サムエル記」（15章3節）では、「アマレクを討ち、アマレクに属するものは一切、滅ぼし尽くせ。男も女も、子供も乳飲み子も、牛も羊も、ラクダもロバも打ち殺せ。容赦してはならない」と神が命令したと記されている。アマレクはイスラエルの敵を指すため、実質的に「パレスチナ人を皆殺しにする」ようなニュアンスとなる）。12月29日、南アフリカがイスラエルを、ジェノサイド条約違反の疑いで国際司法裁判所に提訴した。南アフリカは、ジェノサイドの意図の証拠の一つとして、このネタニヤフの発言を引証した[253]。2023年12月27日、トルコのエルドアン大統領は、イスラエル軍に殺害されたガザ住民は2万人以上に上ると報告したことに触れ、「ネタニヤフは1940年代に数百万人ものユダヤ人を大量虐殺したヒトラーと同じだ」と演説した[254]。2024年1月16日、イスラエル首相官邸は、南アフリカの「誤った馬鹿げた告発」であり、「ハマースのジェノサイド・テロリストが行った邪悪な行為と対峙する必要性を述べた物」と反論した[255]。
一方で、イスラエル国内では「アマレク」皆殺しへの支持もあった。ネスとスティラによるデュオ曲"Harbu Darbu"は、イスラエル国防軍が「アマレクの子ら」に地獄の雨を降らせるという内容で、ガザ地区などへの攻撃を鼓舞し、ハマースのイスマーイール・ハニーヤ、イランのハサン・ナスルッラーフ、そしてネスとスティラが「親ハマース」と見なしたベラ・ハディッドらを名指しで標的とした。"Harbu Darbu"はケシェット・インターナショナル傘下の「mako」ヒットチャートで1位となるなど流行歌となり、IDF兵士にも流行したという[256][257][258][259]。"Harbu Darbu"もまた、「ジェノサイド的」と非難されたが[260]、ネスとスティラは「世界に我々が強国、強い軍隊を持つ国であり、悪い事ばかりではないことが知られて嬉しい[261]」との見解を示した。
また、2024年4月19日、アビ・ディヒター農業・地方開発大臣は、ニル・オズのキブツからハマースらに拉致されたイスラエル人が、「（ハマースと）無関与とされる」ガザ住民によって傷害を負わされたと主張した。その上で、一人一人の住民を「テロリスト」と呼び、神の啓示とされる「アマレクの記憶を天の下から消し去る（「申命記」25章19節）」を引き、刑務所か墓のなかに送らなければならないと主張した[262]。
4月29日、ベザレル・スモトリッチ財務相兼国防省付大臣は、ハマースなどとの停戦に反対し、「中途半端な仕事など存在しない。ラファ、デイル・アル＝バラフ、ヌセイラットは「完全な殲滅だ。『アマレクの記憶を天の下から消し去りなさい』だ。天の下に場所などない。」と、やはり「申命記」25章19節を引いて主張した[263]。
| 이 기사는 최신 사건 ( 2023년 팔레스타인 이스라엘 전쟁 )에 영향을 받을 수 있습니다. |
| 벤야민 네타니야프 בנימין נתניהו | |
|---|---|
| |
| 생년월일 | 1949년 10월 21일 (76세) |
| 출생지 | 이스라엘 텔 아비브 |
| 출신 학교 | 매사추세츠 공과 대학 ( BS , MS ) 하버드 대학 (자주 퇴학) |
| 현직 | 이스라엘 국 총리 |
| 소속정당 | 리쿠드 |
| 칭호 | 대위 |
| 배우자 | 사라 네타니야프 |
| 친족 | 네이선 미레이코프스키(할아버지) 벤 치온 네타니야프(아버지 ) 요나단 네타니야프 (형 ) 이드 네타니야프 ( 동생) |
| 기호 | |
| 공식 사이트 | [ netanyahu.org.il ] |
| 제20대 이스라엘 국 총리 | |
| 내각 | 제6차 네타니야프 내각 이스라엘 전시 내각 |
| 재임기간 | 2022년 12월 29일 - |
| 대통령 | 이츠하크 헤르조그 |
| 제17대 이스라엘 국 총리 | |
| 내각 | 제2차 네타니야프 내각 제3차 네타니야프 내각 제4차 네타니야프 내각 제5차 네타 니야 프 내각 |
| 재임기간 | 2009년 3월 31일 -- 2021년 6월 13일 |
| 대통령 | 시몬 페레즈 (2009 - 2014) 루벤 리블린 (2014 - 2021) |
| 제13대 이스라엘 국 총리 | |
| 내각 | 제1차 네타니야프 내각 |
| 재임기간 | 1996년 6월 18일 - 1999년 7월 6일 |
| 대통령 | 에젤 와이츠만 |
| 벤야민 네타니야프 בנימין נתניהו | |
|---|---|
| 탄생 | 1949년 10월 21일 (76세) 이스라엘 텔 아비브 |
| 소속 조직 | 이스라엘 국방군 ( 특수부대 · 사일렛·마토칼 ) |
| 군력 | 1967-1973 |
| 최종계급 | 대위 (Séren) |
| 전투 | 소모전쟁 사베나항공 572편 하이재킹 사건 제4차 중동전쟁 |
벤야민 네타냐후 ( 히브리어 :בנימין נתניהו, 영국 : Benjamin Netanyahu , 또는 Binyamin 발음 , 빈야민 네타니야프 , 네타 니야우, 나타니야우 원음에 가까운), 1949년 10 월 21일 - ) 이스라엘 의 정치인 . 이스라엘 총리 (제13·17·20대), 쿠네세트 의원( 13 기), 리쿠드 의장(제3·5대).
외무대신(제17대), 재무대신(제18·20·24대), 통신대신(제33대), 이스라엘 유엔대사(제7대)를 역임했다. 네타니야프는 히브리어로 ' 야하웨 가 준다'는 의미. 2023년 팔레스타인·이스라엘 전쟁 에서 가자지구의 주민을 기아에 빠진 전쟁범죄 와 주민을 대규모 조직적으로 공격한 인도에 대한 죄로 인해 국제형사법원 에서 체포장이 나온다 [ 1 ] .
이스라엘 건국 후에 태어난 최초의 총리 경험자이며, 역대 총리 중 최연소로 총리에 취임한 인물 이기도 하다 . 총리로서의 통산임기 17년은 역대 최장이다. 이스라엘 국내나 해외에서의 동포 유대인들 사이에서는 '비비'의 애칭 으로 불리고 있다. 어린 시절에는 벤 니 타이 ( Ben Nitay , בן ניתאי )라는 이름으로 미디어에 등장한 적이있다 [ 3 ] .
네타니야프는 미스터 보안(미스터 안보)을 자칭하고 있다 [ 4 ] . 네타냐후는 이스라엘의 존립을 위협하는 세력에 대해 강경한 입장을 취하는 것으로 알려져 있지만, 가자 지구에서의 해머스 소토 작전에 관해 “ 아말렉인 ( 야하웨 의 생명으로 성절 된 민족)이 우리에 대해 무엇을 했는지를 기억하라고 우리의 성경 이 부르고 있다” “우리는 아마레 ] , 제노사이드를 시사하는 언동에 관한 비판도 있다 [ 6 ] [ 7 ] .
약력
가족 및 개인 배경
1949년 아버지 벤 치온 네타니야프와 어머니 지라 네타니야프 부부의 차남으로 텔아비브 에서 태어났다. 아버지 벤 치온은 러시아 성 을 밀레이코프스키(Милейковский)라고 하며, 1910년에 옛 러시아 제국 폴란드 령 바르샤바 에서 태어났다. 그의 아버지(벤야민의 할아버지)는 시오니스트 운동가인 네이선 밀레이코프스키 로 일가는 1920년 팔레스타인 으로 이주하여 예루살렘 에 정착했다. 벤 치온 역시 아버지의 사상을 계승한 시오니스트 운동가로 코넬 대학 에서 유대사의 교수를 맡았다. 그리고 히브리 엔사이클로피디아의 편집자이며, 그것이 아들의 사상에 크게 영향을 미치고 있다. 형의 요나탄 네타냐후 는 1976년 엔테베 공항 기습 작전에서 전사하고 있다 . 동생인 이드 네타니야프 는 방사선과 의사이자 극작가 이기도 하다 . 형제는 세 사람 모두 이스라엘 국방군의 엘리트 부대 '사이 렛 마토칼' 에 소속되어 있었다.
네타니야프는 가족과 함께 1956년부터 1958년, 1963년부터 1967년에 걸쳐 미국에 거주. 펜실베니아주 필라델피아 의 교외에서 자라서 체르테남 고등학교를 졸업했다(오빠도 동 고등학교를 졸업하고 있다). 고등학교에서는 디베이트 클럽에 소속되어 있었다(그 때문에 영어에 능통하고, 말에는 필라델피아 혼란이 있다고 한다) .
고등학교 졸업 후에 이스라엘 국방군에 입대해, 위와 같이 사이렛 마토칼에 소속. 1967년부터 1973년에 걸쳐 다양한 군무(제3차 중동 전쟁 , 소모 전쟁 , 사베나 항공 572편 하이재킹 사건 의 해결)에 종사. 1972년에는 어깨를 쏘아 부상하고 있다. 제4차 중동전쟁 에서는 부대를 이끌고 시리아 영내에 침입했다. 1973년 제대(최종계급은 대위).
제대 후 미국으로 돌아와 매사추세츠 공과대학 의 이공학위와 MIT 슬론 경영대학원 학위를 취득, 하버드대학 과 MIT에서 정치학을 배웠다. 세 번 결혼했고 첫 결혼에서 딸 노아를 벌었다. 현재는 객실 승무원이었던 세 번째 아내 사라와 함께 살고 야일, 아브너 [ 8 ] 의 두 아들이 있다. 야일은 현재 군무를 맡고 있다 [ 9 ] .
MIT를 우수한 성적으로 졸업 후, 1976년부터 1978년에 걸쳐 보스턴 컨설팅 그룹 에서 경영 컨설턴트 로서 근무해(당시의 동료에게 나중의 매사추세츠 주 지사가 되는 미트 롬니가 있었다), 이스라엘에 귀국.
정치권
정치의 세계에 몸을 던진 계기는, 나중에 국방상, 외상을 맡게 되는 정계의 대고소· 모쉐·어런스 의 권고에 의한 것이다. 1982년 에는 당시 주미대사를 맡고 있던 앨런스하에서 근무. 1984년 부터 1988년 까지는 이 나라의 유엔 대사 를 맡았다. 같은 해에는 리쿠드에서 총선거로 출마해 국회의원에게 첫 당선을 한다. 이츠하크 샤미르 정권 하에서 외무 차관을 맡아 1991년 사담 후세인 체제하에 있던 당시 이라크군의 쿠웨이트 침공에 끝을 내는 걸프 전쟁 때 외무 차관이라는 입장이면서 사실상의 대변인으로 자국의 대의를 역설 . 그것도 미국인과 엄청나게 다른 영어로의 화술은 각광을 받아 정계의 호프로 촉망되기 시작한다.
전기가 된 것은 다음· 1992년의 총선거 이다. 카리스마적인 인기를 자랑한 이츠학 라빈 이 이끄는 노동당 앞에 총리의 샤밀이 이끄는 리쿠드는 대패하고 야당이 됐다. 샤밀은 당수를 사임하고 정계를 은퇴했다. 네타니야프는 같은 해 리쿠드 당 수선 에 출마, 당선 2회이면서 베니 베긴 과 다비드 레비 , 모셰 카차브 를 깨고 리쿠드 당수가 되었다.
총리직(1기째)
네타니야프는 팔레스타인 과격파 이스라엘에 대한 자폭공격이 다발한 1996 년 7월 총선 에서 승리했고, 1992년 쿠네세토(국회)에서 성립했던 총리 공선제에 근거해 열린 총리 선거에서 선출되었다. 시몬 페레스 는 팔레스타인 과격파의 자폭공격을 진전할 수 없었고, 공공의 신뢰는 급속히 떨어졌다. 1996년 3월 3일, 4일 팔레스타인에 의한 두번의 자폭 공격으로 32명의 이스라엘인이 사망했다. 이 공격이 계기가 되어 페레스는 테러리즘에 대한 무책이 비판되어 결국 선거에서 패배하게 된다. 페레스와는 달리, 네타니야프는 야셀 알라파트 를 신뢰하지 않았고, 평화 프로세스는 팔레스타인 자치 정부 의 의무라고 하며, 자국에 대한 모든 공격에 대항하는 자세를 나타냈다.
총리로서 그는 야셀 알라파트와 협상하여 와이 리버 합의 를 성립시켰다. 그러나 많은 사람들이 네타냐후는 팔레스타인 자치정부와의 합의를 늦추려고 한다고 비난했다. 네타냐후의 평화 교섭에 대한 접근은 강자로서 이스라엘을 팔레스타인 쪽으로 밀어붙이는 것이었다.
- "그들이 주면 - 그들은 얻을 수 있습니다. 그들이 주지 않으면 - 그들이 얻을 수는 없습니다."
- "יתנו - יקבלו. לא יתנו - לא יקבלו"
이 접근법은 잘 작동하는 것처럼 보였다. 전임자 페레즈나 후임자 발락과 달리, 네타니야프의 재임기간은 팔레스타인의 자폭 공격은 적고 비교적 평정이었다. 1996년에 네타니야프와 예루살렘 시장 에 푸드 오르멜트는 한탄 벽 의 터널로 출구를 열기로 결정했다. 이 결정은 팔레스타인에 의한 3일간의 폭동의 불꽃이 되었고, 백인 이상의 팔레스타인이 이스라엘 측에 의해 살해되었다.
대 테러리즘 정책의 성공에도 불구하고, 네타니야프는 많은 엘리트에게 미움을 받고, 미디어에서는 좌익과 동일시되었다. 일련의 스캔들(그의 아내의 가십을 포함해, 97년에는 당시 최측근이었던 차히 하네그비 법상에 뇌물수수 혐의가 부상하지만, 최고검은 혐의 불충분하고 입건을 단념하고 있다)라고 부패에 관한 조사 후, 네타니야프는 대중의 지지를 잃었다.
1999년 총선에서 에 푸드 버락이 이끄는 노동당에 패배한 뒤 네타냐후는 일시적으로 정치에서 몸을 끌었다.
2000년 이후 정치활동
부패 사건으로부터 몸을 피하기 위해, 네타니야프는 정치의 세계로부터 일시신을 당겨, 의원의 직장도 동시에 그만두고 있었지만, 2000년 9월 27일, 이스라엘 최고검이, 네타니야프 부부의 입건을 증거 불충분하고 단념한다.
이것을 받아 네타니야프는, 이미 죽어 몸이 되고 있던 바락 정권 도각·복권에 나서려고 하지만, 이미 리쿠드 당수의 지위에 있던 아리엘·샤론 쪽이 배우가 한 장 능숙하고, 다음날 9 월 28일 신전의 언덕 방문으로 리쿠드의 말단 당원 · 우파 진퇴 궁핍한 버락은 총리직을 사임·재선거에 쳐 나가지만, 의원의 직장에 없는 네타니야프는 출마를 봉쇄되어 선거는 샤론의 압도적 승리로 끝난다. 그 후 총리의 의자를 잡은 샤론과 네타니야프의 관계는 꽉 끼지 않는 상태가 되어, 2002년 5월에 네타니야프의 산하에 있는 리쿠드 중앙위원회 가 팔레스타인 국가 반대 결의를 하면 양자의 홈은 결정적이 된다.
2002년 10월 이스라엘 노동당 이 정권을 이탈, 해산·총선거 실시가 결정되어 리쿠드당 수선이 앞당겨지면 지론인 '아라파트 의장 추방', '팔레스타인 국가 단호 반대'를 내걸고 샤론과 격돌한다.
2002년 11월의 당 수선에서 샤론이 네타니야프에 압승한 후, 대립극은 일단 수렴. 2003년 1월 총선에서 리쿠드가 승리하면 네타니야프는 재무상으로 임명된다.
그러나 2004년 2월, 샤론이 가자 로부터의 전면 철수를 내건 일방적 가자 지구 철수 계획 을 발표하면, 양자의 대립이 재연한다. 샤론은 말단 당원의 지지를 받은 후 계획의 실현을 획책하지만, 2004년 5월에 행해진 리쿠드의 당원 투표에서는 20포인트의 차이를 붙여 철수 계획은 거부된다. 네타니야프는 당연히 반대의 뜻을 나타내, 샤론의 복심이었던 리몰·리브너트 교육상도 이것을 경계로 샤론으로부터 이반해 버린다. 철수계획은 샤론과 네타니야프의 권력투쟁이라는 의미뿐만 아니라, 당내의 강경파와 온건파의 대립, 당시였던 대이스라엘주의 (' 약속의 땅 '의 범위를 원래 이스라엘의 것으로 파악하는 사상)의 시비와 같은 오래된 문제를 현재화시켜 버린 것이다. 당원 투표에서 패한 샤론은 이를 계기로 리쿠드에 대한 불신감을 끌어올렸고, 이것이 이듬해 집단 이당 카디마 결당으로 이어졌다. 일방적 가자지구 철수계획은 당원투표에서는 부결되었지만 2004년 10월 노동당의 지지를 얻어 국회에서 어떻게든 통과시킨다. 그 때도 리쿠드의 40명의 의원 중 17명이 조반. 당은 완전히 분열 상태가 된다.
2005년 8월 7일 철수계획 최종각의 결정 직전에 네타니야프는 ‘ 가자 를 테러리스트 의 전선기지로 하는 어리석음’으로 재무상을 항의 사임, 8월 30일 에는 본격적으로 도각운동에 나선다. 그러나 이것도 같은 해 11월 21일 샤론 등이 집단 이당하는 형태로 계획은 좌절한다. 네타니야프의 결정이 너무 늦었고, 샤론 이상으로 오른손 정책(도각운동의 다음날에는 마아레 아두미임 을 방문해 유대인 정착지 확대를 명언하고 있다)를 내세워야 했던 것도 그에게는 불리하게 일했다 [ 10 ] .
재무상으로서 네타냐후는 알 악사 인티파다 사이에 이스라엘 경제 회복을 위해 대담한 계획 경제를 시도했다. 그것은 수많은 논쟁의 대상이 되었지만, 계획은 더 많은 자유주의 시장으로의 움직임을 포함했다.
리쿠도 당목에 재등판
2005년 11월, 샤론과 오르멜트가 집단 이당하고 카디마의 결성으로 움직이면 부재한 당수의 자리를 둘러싸고 당 수선이 앞당겨진다. 다음 달·12월 19일, 네타니야프는 47%의 지지를 얻어 당수에 돌아오고 피는다. 그러나 샤론 등의 이당·카디마의 결성으로 중도표를 모아 빼앗겨 자신이 내걸는 대처류 의 경제 정책은 격차 확대를 조장시키면 집중 포화를 받는다. 2006년 3월 28일에 열린 총선에서 리쿠드는 역사적 참패를 피한다. 불과 12개 의석에 빠져 제4세력까지 후퇴하게 됐다. 그러므로 리몰 리브너트 전 교육상 등에서는 당수 사임을 요구하는 목소리가 나왔지만, 대세가 되지 않고 네타냐후는 그 지위에 머물며 반격의 기회를 엿볼 수 있다. 리쿠도의 분열은 당의 약체화를 초래했지만, 네타니야프의 측근이나 당내 강경파는 힘을 온존하는 순화 노선을 한쪽으로 가져왔다. 다만 선거 후의 지지율은 만회 경향에 있으며, 2006년 8월에 열린 여론조사에서는 오르멜트 총리를 억제해 차기 총리 후보의 선두에 올랐다. 이것은 오르멜트 정권에 의한 레바논 침공 의 실패와 그 레바논 침공 때 네타냐후는 일체 정국으로 하지 않고 묵묵히 정권 지지를 관철한 것. 이것에 국민이 호감을 가졌기 때문이다. 가자지구 철수계획 시 샤론에 대한 집요한 규탄이 종종 비난을 받고 있었기 때문에 , 네타니야프도 그것을 의식하고 있었던 것으로 보인다. 2007년 1월 지역지가 실시한 여론조사에 따르면 네타니야프가 이끄는 리쿠드 는 현재 선거가 열리면 29의석을 획득해 제1당이 된다는 결과가 나왔다. 한편 오르멜트 총리 의 카디마 는 불과 12개 의석으로 예측이 나오고 있으며, 현재는 리쿠드가 12개, 카디마가 29개 의석을 각각 얻고 있으므로, 오르멜트 정권은 발족 후 1년도 안 되자 역전을 허용한 것이다. 2007년 11월 여론조사에서도 리쿠드의 지지는 떨어지지 않았다.
또한 지난 몇 년간 위협이 높아지는 이란 의 핵무장 에 대해서는 지극히 강경한 입장에서 메나헴 베긴 전 총리 가 1981 년 이라크 오실라크 원자로 폭격을 단행한 바빌론 작전 을 맡아 이스파한 등 핵 관련 시설에 대한 선제공격도 그만두지 않는 생각을 드러냈다.
중동 평화에 대해서는, 오르멜트 정권이 주장하는 요르단 강 서안 해안 입식지 해체, 시리아 와의 평화 교섭 및 거기에 따른 골란 고원 반환, 예루살렘 동서 분할안에, 모두 「이스라엘을 위험에 노출한다」라고 하여 반대의 자세를 관철하고 있다.
2007년 8월 14일 에 행해진 리쿠드의 전도당 수선으로, 73%의 득표로 재선된다.
2007년 9월 19일 현지 TV 인터뷰에서 같은 달 6일 이스라엘 공군에 의해 시리아 에 한정 공폭을 노출. 오르멜트 총리에게 지지하는 취지를 전하고 있었음을 밝혔다. 공폭시설은 시리아가 북한 의 협력하에 핵개발을 진행하고 있던 혐의를 받고 있다. 2008년 1월 10일 이스라엘을 방문한 조지 부시 대통령 회담하여 이란 의 군사적 위협에 대한 의견 교환을 실시했다.
복권·총리 재등판에
2009년 2월 10일 에 실시된 총선에서는 카디마 에 제1당을 양보했지만, 73만표 미만을 획득, 12의석에서 27의석으로 크게 세력을 배증시켰다. 이 선거에서는 기존의 주장인 이란 의 핵무장 저지, 가자 분쟁 후에도 해머스 에 대한 공세 강화를 호소해 인심을 잡았다. 선거전 때에는 고란 고원을 방문, 현지에서 식목을 실시해 입식지 확대를 약속하고 있다 [ 11 ] . 또, 이 선거에서는 한때 정책적으로 격렬하게 대립하고 있던 베니 베긴 전 과학상 [ 12 ] , 댄 메리돌 전 재무상과 관계를 수복함과 동시에, 국민적 인기가 높은 모쉐 야아론 전 참모 총장을 삼고의 예로 맞이했다(3씨 모두 리쿠드 공인·당선을 완수. 동선거에서는, 정책적으로 가까운 우파·종교 정당이 크게 약진했기 때문에, 동제 정당이 모두 네타니야프를 총리로 추거. 같은 달 19일에는 지금까지 태도를 밝히지 않았던 이스라엘 우리 집 이 네타니야프 지지를 선명하게 했기 때문에, 다음·20일에 시몬 페레스 대통령 이 네타니야프를 수반으로 한 조각을 요청. 네타니야프 자신은 우파·종교 정당 주체에서는 정국 운영이 곤란한 점에서 카디마를 더한 대연립 을 모색하고 있으며, 같은 달 22일·28일에 당수 회담을 하는 것도 결렬. 카디마와의 대연립은 중반 단념하지만, 노동당과의 연립교섭은 진행되고 있어 정권 발족은 3월 중순이 될 것으로 보였지만, 노동당 내에서 반발이 강하고 노동당과의 협상은 난항 . 3월 15일에는 이스라엘 우리 집과 정책 합의 , 당수인 아비그돌 리버먼의 외상 취임이 확인 됐다. 같은 달 23일에는 종교정당· 샤스와 정책합의를 했다 [ 13 ] . 31일에는 우파연립 내각이 발족, 네타니야프는 10년 만에 총리 자리로 돌아오게 되었다.
총리직(제2차)
노동당, 샤스 등 6당으로 구성된 네타니야프 정권은 같은 해 6월 14일 대팔레스타인 정책에서 미수정의 움직임을 보였다. 이날 네타니야프는 텔아비브 의 발 -이란 대학 에서의 연설로 한정적인 팔레스타인 국가 용인을 언급 [ 14 ] . 구체적으로는, 이 국가는 비무장으로, 제공권을 가지지 않는 것. 예루살렘의 분할은 하지 않는 것, 기존 입식지는 앞으로도 확대를 계속할 것이다. 제1차 중동전쟁 에서 난민이 된 팔레스타인인의 귀환권 (귀환권에 관해서는 아랍계와 공산당을 제외한 좌우 양파와도 반대이다)는 인정하지 않는 것 등이 그 기둥이다 [ 15 ] . 이러한 정책 수정은 샤론 정권의 전반에 가깝다고 할 수 있다. 또 신중동화평안 발표 후 조사에서는 71%가 이 안을 평가, 지지율도 44%로 급회복했다 [ 16 ] . 또 같은 해 11월 17일에는 동 예루살렘 의 기로에 900호의 신규 정착지 건설을 승인해 예루살렘시가 그것을 집행하게 되었다. 한편, 같은 달 25일에는 그 상쇄안으로서 요르단강 서안 (유대·사마리아 지구)에의 신규 입식을 10개월간 동결하는 방안(단, 착공제의 주택 건설에 대해서는 제외)을 발표했다 [ 17 ] . 잠정동결안에 대해서는 노동당이나 베니베긴 무임소상들이 일정한 이해를 보이는 한편 [ 18 ] , 당내의 강경파나 [ 19 ] 정착자조합 등에서는 격렬한 반발의 목소리가 오르고 있다 [ 20 ] . 그러나, 동결 기한이 된 다음 해 9월 26일 이후는, 동결 연장은 실시하지 않고 입식 재개를 몹시 단행했다> [ 21 ] . 또 다음·12월에는 정국 운영을 원활하게 하기 위해 한번은 결렬한 카디마 와의 대연립 협의를 했다 [ 22 ] [ 23 ] 가 협상은 헤어지고 끝나고 있다. 다음·2010년 1월 20일에는, 팔레스타인 국가가 수립한 후에도, 국방군이 계속해서 치안 유지의 관점에서 주류를 계속할 생각을 나타낸다 [ 24 ] [ 25 ] . 네타니야프는 앞서 언급한 신화평안 중에서도 팔레스타인 국가는 어디까지나 비무장임을 전제조건으로 하고 있으며, 이는 대부분의 팔레스타인인에게 받아들여지지 않았다. 2010년 11월 22일에는, 리쿠드 유지 의원이 국회에 제출하고 있던, 동 예루살렘 및 고란 고원으로부터의 철퇴(서안은 대상외)가 행해질 때에는 국민 투표 을 의무화하는 법안(국회에서 3분의 2의 찬성 의결이 있으면 실시되지 않는다 )를, 찬성 65, 반대 33, 기권 22의 찬성 다수로 통과시켜 팔레스타인 측을 견제하고 있다 26 ] . 2012년 11월 29일 유엔 총회가 팔레스타인의 옵저버로서의 자격을 '조직'에서 '논멤버(가맹국이 아닌, 투표권이 없는) 옵저버 국가'로 격상하는 결의안을 찬성 다수로 채택한 것에 반발해 요르단 서안과 동 예루살렘 0 유설 27 ] .
가자지원 선박포
2010년 5월 31일 에 발생한, 터키 에서 가자 지구 로 인도 지원을 위해 향하고 있던 여객선을 이스라엘군이 나포해, 터키인의 인도 지원 활동가 9명을 살해, 승선하고 있던 수십명의 인도 지원 활동가를 부상시킨 사건에 대해서는, 「정당 방위」였고 「해머박스」지원 이 사건은 국제사회뿐만 아니라 인권활동가들로부터 큰 비난을 받았지만, 네타니야프는 “우리는 결코 사죄하지 않는다”고 강경 자세를 관철했다 [ 28 ] . 그러나 이 자세에 터키는 분개하고 7월 들어 “이스라엘은 터키에 사과하라. 사과를 하지 않는다면 국제조사를 받아들여라. 둘 다 거부한다면 이스라엘과의 국교를 끊는다”는 자세를 보여 이스라엘과 터키 간의 긴장이 높아졌다 [ 29 ] . 같은 해 6월 13일에 이스라엘 국내에 설치된 조사위원회(옵저버로서 데이비드 트림 블 전북 아일랜드 수석 대신도 참가)는 조사 결과 2011년 1월 23일 보고서를 공표하고 지원선의 급습·권포는 합법이며 가자에 대한 군 의 봉쇄 조치 도 합법 이다 . 그러나 이것은 이스라엘인 7명의 식자에 의해 구성된 위원회이며, 단지 정부의 행동을 정당화한 만큼의 조사보고라고도 할 수 있다.
총리직(제3차)
2013년 1월 22일 제 19회 쿠네세트 총선에서 리쿠드는 우파 정당 이스라엘 우리 집 과 연합해 싸웠다. 양당을 합치면 전회 선거보다 의석을 줄였으나 합해 31개 의석에서 제1당이 됐고, 네타니야프가 의회의 과반수를 정리해 제3차 네타니야프 정권(제33대 정부) 이 발족했다.
미국 의회 합동회의 연설
2015년 3월 3일 미국 의회 합동회의 에서 39분에 걸친 연설을 하고 오바마 대통령을 공격했다 [ 31 ] .
총리직(제4차)
2015년 5월 6일, 3월의 쿠네세토 총선거의 결과에 근거해 제4차 내각의 조각이 행해졌다. 그러나 아비그돌 리버먼이 이끄는 세속계 극우 ' 이스라엘 우리 집 '이 각료 포스트 등을 둘러싼 대립에서 연립정권 참여를 배웠기 때문에 겨우 의석의 과반수를 차지하는 데 그치고 과거처럼 안정된 정권 운영은 할 수 없다는 견해가 현지 언론을 중심으로 했다. 또한 미국과의 관계 개선도 진행되지 않을 것으로 예측되었다 [ 32 ] .
총리 외에 후생상, 외상, 지역협력상, 커뮤니케이션상도 겸무했다.
제21, 22, 23회 총선거
2018 년 12월에 국회 해산 을 결단하고 다음에 쿠네 세토 총선거를 다음 2019 년 4월 9일로 설정 했다 . . 총선 1개월 전 여론조사에서도 중도야당연합 청과백이 리쿠드를 선도하는 결과가 나왔다.
이 때문에 네타니야프는 장래의 팔레스타인 국가와의 공존을 부정하는 등 우경화를 강화해 총선거를 극복하려고 획책 [ 35 ] . 또 네타니야프와의 관계가 좋았던 미국 의 도널드 트럼프 대통령은 3월 25일, 국제적으로 시리아 의 영토로 인정되고 있는 고란 고원 에 있어서의 이스라엘의 주권을 인정 [ 36 ] , 네타니야프를 사실상 어시스트했다 [ 37 ] . 이런 일이 있었는지, 4월 9일 투개표에서는 출구조사에서 여야세력은 길항해 양자 모두 승리선언을 했지만 [ 38 ] 이듬해 10일 우파연합에서 과반수를 차지할 전망이 돼 야당연합·청과 백의 공동대표 베니 간츠 전 군참 .
총리직(제5차)
선거 결과에 근거하여 4월 18일에 루벤 리브린 대통령이 네타니야프에 조각을 요청하고 5차 정권이 발족할 것이었다 [ 40 ] . 그러나 기한인 5월 29일까지 이스라엘 우리 집 과의 대립점이 묻지 않고 연립 정권 협상이 타결되지 않았기 때문에 네타냐후는 국회의 해산을 결정. 9월 17일에 재선거 가 행해진 것의 과반수를 얻은 세력은 없고, 조각을 요청되었지만 10월 21일에 다시 조각을 단념했다 [ 41 ] . 같은 해 12월 26일 리쿠드당 수선거에서 재선 [ 42 ] .
네타니야프는 기소를 면하기 위한 면책결의를 의회에 요구했지만 부결되는 공산이 크고 2020년 1월 28일 이 신고를 철회했다. 이에 따라 검찰은 네타니야프를 수뇌나 배임 등의 혐의로 당일 기소했다 [ 43 ] [ 44 ] .
혼미 속에서 2020년 3월 2일에 다시 선거가 진행되어 네타니야프, 간츠의 쌍방이 조각에 계속 실패했지만 COVID-19 의 대응이 요구되는 사태가 되었기 때문에, 양자는 방침을 전환해 4월 20일에 3년간의 연립 정권의 수립으로 합의 [ 45 ] 네타니야프가 수뇌죄로 기소되고 있기 때문에 총리 취임은 불법이라고 하는 신고가 이루어졌지만 5월 6일 이스라엘 대법원이 기각 하고 [ 46 ] , 다음 7일에 이스라엘 의회 의 72명의 의원이 네타 니야프 총리 취임 지지 를 표명 . 17일 의회 가 신정권을 승인하고 네타니야프를 총리, 간츠를 부총리 겸 국방대신으로 하는 거국 일치 내각이 발족. 총리를 2021년 11월경까지 1년 반 맡은 뒤 간츠에게 총리직을 양보하게 되었다 [ 48 ] . 그러나 네타니야프의 부패 의혹 등을 둘러싸고 양자의 대립은 깊어져, 12월 23일의 기한내에 예산이 성립하지 않았기 때문에 의회는 또 해산 [ 49 ] . 2020년 말부터 2021년 초에 걸쳐 유태인 디아스포라 를 통해 화이자 로부터 대량의 COVID-19 백신 의 우선적인 제공을 받아 국내에서 백신 의 대량 접종을 진행시켜 지지율의 부양을 도모했다 [ 50 ] [ 51 ] . 2021년 3월 23일에 집행된 총선거 에서는 리쿠드가 제1당이 되어 4월 6일에 조각을 요청받았지만 [ 52 ] , 5월 4일에 조각을 단념 [ 53 ] . 6월 3일, 극우의 신우익 이나 중도의 예슈·아티드 등 야당 8당이 연립 정권 수립으로 합의해 [ 54 ] [ 55 ] , 의회는 6월 13일에 나프탈리 베넷 신내각을 찬성 60, 반대 59표의 근소한 차이로 승인, 제1차 내각을 포함해 15년에 이른 네타니야프 정권은 종말을 맞았다 [ 56 ] .
총리직(제6차)
2022년 11월 1일에 집행된 쿠네세트 총선 에서 리쿠드 는 32의석에서 제1당을 유지하며 우파연합이 과반수인 64의석을 획득해 승리 [ 57 ] . 13일 이츠하크 헤르조그 대통령보다 조각을 요청받았다 [ 58 ] . 12월 21일 극우·종교정당과 연립정권수립에서 합의했다고 표명했다 [ 59 ] . 같은 달 29일 국회에서 이 연립정권이 찬성 다수로 승인되어 네타니야프 정권이 정식으로 발족 했다 [ 60 ] .
제6차 내각에서는 법원이 정부 결정을 뒤집는 것을 금지하는 등 사법의 권한을 약화시키는 개혁을 추진해 전토에서 반대운동이 일어나는 가운데 2023년 7월 사법개혁법안을 통과했다. 그러나 2024년 1월 1일 대법원은 이 사법개혁법제는 무효라고 판단했다 [ 61 ] .
2023년 10월 7일에 해머스가 가자 지구보다 2,000발 이상의 로켓탄을 발사한 것 외에 무장 조직이 이스라엘 영내에 침입. 이스라엘 측도 보복으로 해머스 거점을 중심으로 공폭을 실시해, 쌍방 합계로 200명 이상이 사망했다. 네타니야프는 전쟁 상태에 있다고 선언하고 해머스 간부에게 경험한 적이 없는 대가를 지불하게 된다고 경고했다 [ 62 ] . 직후 미국의 조 바이덴 대통령과 회담하여 이스라엘에 의한 자위권 행사에 대한 지지를 설치한 것 외에 모든 적절한 지원을 제공할 준비가 있다는 말을 끌어냈다 [ 63 ] . 10월 8일, 네타니야프 정권은 해머스에 대해 선전 포고를 결정하고 중대한 군사 활동을 해금하겠다고 선언했다 [ 64 ] . 10월 11일에는 임시의 전시 내각을 조각했다 [ 65 ] .
그러나 해머스와의 분쟁은 교착 상태에 빠지며 가자 지구에 대한 공격이 비인간적이라고 국제적인 비판을 받게 된다. 2024년 5월 20일 국제형사법원 (ICC) 칼림 칸 주임 검찰관이 팔레스타인 이스라엘 전쟁의 상황을 근거로 갈란트 국방상, 해머 스 간부의 허니어 정치 국장 , 군사 부문 톱 의 데이프 , 가자 지구 지도자 신와르 와 함께 네타 니야 프에 체포장을 청구하는 것으로 밝혀 졌다 . 6월 9일에 간츠가 전시 내각으로부터의 이탈을 선언하고 [ 67 ] , 1주일 후인 6월 16일에는 전시 내각의 해산에 몰렸다 [ 68 ] . 11월 21일 국제형사법원은 위의 청구를 받아들여 '전쟁범죄와 인도에 대한 범죄의 혐의'가 있다고 네타니야프에 체포장을 발행했다 [ 69 ] [ 70 ] . 네타냐후는 이 결정에 반발하여 “반유대주의의 조치”라고 말했다 [ 71 ] .
태어나고 군력
벤야민 네타냐후는 1949년 10월 21일 이스라엘 의 수도 인 텔 아비브에서 태어났다 [ 72 ] [ 73 ] . 그의 어머니 인 치라 시갈 (1912-2000)은 오스만 제국 의 예루살렘 무타 살리파테의 페탁 치크바에서 태어났으며 아버지 바르샤바에서 태어난 벤지온 네타 니야프 (이전 밀리 코스키, 1910 년) 2012년)은 스페인의 유태인 황금 시대를 전문으로 하는 역사가였다. 그의 아버지의 할아버지인 네이선 미라이코스키는 랍비에서 시온주의자 작가였다. 벤야민 네타니야프의 아버지는 위임 통치령 팔레스타인으로 이주했을 때 자신의 성을 '밀레이코프스키'에서 '하느님이 주었다'는 의미의 '네타니야프'로 히브리어화했다. 그의 가족은 대부분이 아슈케나지이지만, DNA 검사 결과 세파라디계의 조상을 가지고 있는 것으로 밝혀졌다고 그는 말했다. 그는 버나 가온의 후손이라고 주장한다 [ 74 ] [ 75 ] .
벤야민 네타냐후는 3인 형제의 2번째로 태어났다. 그는 당초 예루살렘 에서 자라 교육을 받고 헨리에타 솔드 초등학교에 다녔다. 6학년 때 교사 루스 루벤슈타인의 평가 사본에 따르면, 벤야민 네타냐후가 예의 바르고 친절한 것으로 나타났다. 그는 "책임감이 있고 시간 엄수"였다. 그리고 그는 우호적이고 규율적이고, 쾌활하고, 용감하고, 활동적이며, 순종했다는 증거가 되었다 [ 76 ] .
1956년 부터 1958년 그리고 다시 1963년 부터 1967년 에 걸쳐 [ 77 ] , 아버지의 벤지온 네타니야프가 드롭 시 대학 에서 교편 을 취하는 동안, 가족은 미국 필라델피아 교외의 펜실베니아주 첼 튼엄 타운십에 살았다 . 벤자민은 첼튼엄 고등학교에 다니며 졸업했고, 디베이트 클럽, 체스 클럽, 축구에서 활약했다 [ 78 ] . 벤야민과 동생 요나단은 만연하는 젊은이들의 카운터 문화 운동이나 가족이 참여하고 있던 개혁 계피, 필라델피아의 신전 유대의 자유주의 등 이 지역에서 만난 표면적인 생활양식에 불만을 품게 되었다 [ 78 ] .
1967년 고등학교를 졸업한 후 벤야민 네타냐후는 이스라엘 국방군 에 입대하기 위해 이스라엘로 돌아왔다. 그는 전투병사로서 훈련을 받고 이스라엘 국방군의 특수부대인 사이 렛 마트칼 에 5년간 근무했다. 그는 1967년 부터 1970년 의 소모전쟁 중에 수많은 국경을 넘은 습격에 참가했으며, 그 중에는 1968년 3월 에 이스라엘 국방군이 팔레스타인 해방기구 (PLO)의 최고 지도자 야셀 알라파트 를 잡기 위해 요르단을 공격한 카라 메 의 싸움 79 ] [ 80 ] . 그는 전투에서 여러 번 부상을 입었다. 그는 1968년 이스라엘에 의한 레바논 습격과 1972년 5월에 어깨를 쏘아 납치된 사베나 571편의 구출 등 많은 다른 임무에 종사했다. 그는 1972년에 현역을 퇴역했지만, 사이엘렛 마토칼 예비역에 남았다. 제대 후, 그는 미국에 유학했지만, 1973년 10월에 이스라엘로 돌아와, 4차 중동 전쟁에 종군 했다 [ 81 ] [ 82 ] . 그는 시리아 영토 깊숙하고 이스라엘 국방군 부대에 의한 공격을 지휘하기 전에 수에즈 운하를 따라 이집트군 에 대한 특수 부대의 습격에 참가했지만, 그 세부 사항은 현재도 기밀로 남아있다 [ 83 ] .
교육
벤야민 네타니야프는 매사추세츠 공과대학 (MIT)에서 건축을 배우기 위해 1972년 말 미국으로 귀국했다. 제4차 중동전쟁에 참전하기 위해 이스라엘로 일시 귀국한 후 다시 미국으로 돌아와 벤 니타이라는 이름으로 1975년 2월에 건축의 학사 학위를 취득하고 [ 84 ] [ 85 ] , 석사 학위를 취득했다 [ 86 ] . 1976년 6월 에 MIT 슬론 경영 대학원을 졸업했다. 동시에 엔테베 습격으로 형이 사망하여 학업이 중단될 때까지 정치학 의 박사 학위를 목표로 공부하고 있었다 [ 87 ] [ 88 ] [ 89 ] .
벤야민 네타니야프는 매사추세츠 공과대학에서 더블로드를 배우고 동시에 하버드 대학에서 코스를 수강했고, 요무키풀 전쟁에서 싸우기 위해 휴가를 가졌음에도 2년 반 만에 석사 학위를 받았다. MIT 의 레온 비 .
그 당시 그는 이름을 벤자민 "벤"니타이로 바꾸었다 (니타이는 니타이 산과 알베라의 유대인 성자 니타이의 이름을 딴 것이고 아버지가 기사에 자주 사용한 펜명이었다) [ 91 ] . 몇 년 후, 네타냐후 총리는 언론과의 인터뷰에서 미국인들이 자신의 이름을 쉽게 발음하기 위해 그렇게 하기로 결정했다고 밝혔다. 이 사실은 그의 정적에 의해 이스라엘의 국가적 정체성과 충성심의 부족으로 간접적으로 그를 비난하기 위해 이용되어 왔다 [ 92 ] .
1976년에 벤야민 네타니야프의 형인 요나단 네타니야프가 살해되었다. 요나단은 벤자민의 전부대인 사이렛 마트칼의 지휘관을 맡고 있었지만 테러대책 인질구출작전 '썬더볼트 작전' 중에 사망했다. 이 작전에서는 테러리스트에 납치되어 우간다의 엔테베 공항으로 운반된 주로 이스라엘인의 인질 100명 이상을 그의 부대가 구출했다.
1976년에 벤야민 네타니야프는 MIT 슬론 경영 대학원을 거의 수석에서 졸업했다 [ 93 ] .
야당 지도자 (1993–1996년)
1988년 이스라엘 의회 선거 전에 벤야민 네타냐후는 이스라엘로 돌아와 리쿠도당에 입당 했다 . 리쿠드의 당내 선거에서 네타니야프 총리는 당원 명부로 5위를 차지했다. 그 후 그는 제12기 국회의 의원으로 선출되어 모셰 앨런스 외무대신의 대리로 임명되고, 그 후 데이비드 레비 외무대신 으로 임명 되었다 . 벤야민 네타니야프와 레비 외무 대신은 협력하지 않았고, 그 후 양자의 갈등은 격화할 뿐이었다. 1991년 초 걸프 전쟁 중 영어 가 능통한 벤야민 네타냐프는 CNN 과 기타 보도 기관의 인터뷰에서 이스라엘의 주요 보도관으로 등장했다. 1991년 마드리드 회의 중 네타니야프는 이츠하크 샤밀 총리가 이끄는 이스라엘 대표단의 멤버였다. 마드리드 회담 후 벤야민 네타냐후는 이스라엘 총리부 부대신으로 임명되었다 [ 94 ] .
1992년 이스라엘 의회 선거에서 리쿠드당이 패배함에 따라 리쿠드당은 1993년 당수 선거를 실시했고, 네타니야프 총리가 고메나헴 베긴 총리 의 아들 베니 베긴과 유력 정치가 데이비드 레비를 이기고 승리했다 . (샤론은 당초 리쿠도당의 지도자로도 취임하려고 했지만, 최소한의 지지만 모으고 있는 것이 밝혀지자마자 철수했다). 샤미르는 1992년 선거에서 리쿠드가 패배한 직후에 정계를 은퇴했다 [ 96 ] .
오슬로 합의 를 지지하는 집회 끝에 이츠하크 라빈 이 암살 된 것을 받아, 라빈의 잠정 후계자인 시몬 페레스 는 정부에 평화 프로세스를 진행할 권한을 부여하기 위해 조기 선거를 실시하기로 결정했다 [ 97 ] . 벤야민 네타냐후는 1996년 5월 29일 에 행해진 1996년 이스라엘 의회 선거에서 리쿠드의 총리 후보였으며, 이스라엘인이 총리를 직접 선출한 최초의 이스라엘 선거였다 [ 98 ] . 벤야민 네타니야프는 선거운동을 운영하기 위해 미국 공화당 의 정치공작원 아서 핀켈스타인 을 고용하고 [ 99 ] , 미국류의 격렬한 공격과 날카로운 공격은 엄격한 비판을 일으켰지만, 벤야민 네타니야프는 1996년 선거에서 승리해 국회의원 중. 이 지위의 역사와 이스라엘 국생의 첫 이스라엘 총리이다(이츠학 라빈은 1948년 이스라엘 건국에 앞서 영국의 팔레스타인 위임 통치하에 있는 예루살렘에서 태어났다) [ 100 ] .
네타니야프 총리가 선거 전 본명 후보 시몬 페레스에 승리한 것은 많은 사람들을 놀라게 했다. 후자의 붕괴의 주요 계기는 선거 직전의 자폭 테러의 물결이었다. 1996년 3월 3일과 4일, 팔레스타인은 두 번의 자폭 테러를 치르고 32명의 이스라엘 사람들을 살해했지만 페레스는 공격을 멈출 수 없었다. 선거운동 중 네타니야프 총리는 평화과정의 진전은 팔레스타인 국가권력이 주로 테러와의 싸움을 중심으로 한 의무를 완수하는 것에 근거한 것으로, 리쿠드 선거운동의 슬로건은 ‘네타니야프 총리 – 안전한 평화 실현’이라고 강조했다. 하지만 네타냐프는 총리 선거를 이겼지만 쿠네세트 선거에서는 페레스가 이끄는 이스라엘 노동당이 더 많은 의석을 차지했다. 네타냐후 총리는 정권을 수립하기 위해 초정통파 정당 샤스와 UTJ와의 연립에 의지해야 했다.
총리 (1996–1999년)
전기
자폭 테러가 잇따라 하마스 는 폭격의 대부분에 대해 범행 성명을 냈다. 벤야민 네타냐후는 총리로서 오슬로 합의 의 많은 중심적 전제에 대해 많은 의문을 제기했다. 벤야민 네타냐프의 주된 논점 중 하나는 협상이 단계적으로 진행되어야 한다는 오슬로의 전제에 동의할 수 없는 것이며, 이는 예루살렘의 지위 와 팔레스타인 국가 규약의 개정 등 주요 문제에 대한 해결에 이르기 전에 팔레스타인 에게 양보해야 한다는 것을 의미한다. 오슬로 합의 의 지지자들은 다단계 접근법이 팔레스타인인들 사이에 우호적 관계를 맺고 나중 단계에서 이러한 심각한 문제가 제기될 때 팔레스타인 사람들이 화해를 요구하도록 촉구할 것이라고 주장했다. 벤야민 네타니야프는 이러한 양보는 과격파 분자를 용기화한 것만으로 구체적인 보상은 얻지 못했다고 말했다. 그는 이스라엘의 양보와 교환하여 팔레스타인의 선의를 나타내는 구체적인 행동을 요구했다. 오슬로 합의와의 차이를 언급했음에도 불구하고, 네타니야프 총리는 이행을 계속했지만 총리 취임 후 평화 과정은 현저하게 정체되었다.
1996년 에 네타냐후 총리와 예루살렘 의 에후드 오르멜트 시장은 시몬 페레스 전 총리가 평화를 위해 보류하라고 지시했던 한탄벽 터널의 아랍인가 출구를 열기로 결정했다. 이를 계기로 팔레스타인인에 의한 3일간의 폭동이 발생해, 이스라엘인과 팔레스타인인 모두에서 수십명이 살해되었다 [ 101 ] [ 102 ]
벤야민 네타니야프 총리는 1996년 9월 4일 팔레스타인 아라파트 대통령과 처음 만났다. 회담에 앞서 양 정상은 전화로 회담했다 [ 103 ] . 회담은 1996년 가을까지 계속되게 되었다. 첫 회담에서 네타냐후 총리는 다음과 같이 말했다. “호혜성과 양국간의 보증에 근거하여 양측의 요구와 요구를 고려해야 한다는 점을 강조 하고 싶다 . 협상은 1997년 1월 14일 에 헤브론 합의 의 서명으로 최고조에 이르렀다 [ 105 ] . 팔레스타인 자치정부와의 헤브론 의정서 서명으로 이스라엘 군대가 헤브론으로 재배치되었고, 지역의 대부분에서 문민권한이 팔레스타인 자치정부 의 관리하에 이관되었다.
결국 평화 프로세스의 진전이 보이지 않았기 때문에 새로운 협상이 이루어져 1998년에 와이카와 각서가 작성되었다. 이 각서에는 1995년 초기 잠정 합의를 이행하기 위해 이스라엘 정부와 팔레스타인 자치 정부가 취해야 할 절차가 상세히 설명되어 있다. 이 각서에는 네타니야프 총리가 서명했다. 그리고 1998년 11월 17일에 120명의 의원으로 구성된 이스라엘 의회의 쿠네세토는 75대 19의 투표로 와이 강 각서를 승인했다. 1967년 아랍 연맹 의 '이스라엘과의 평화는 없다. 이스라엘을 승인하지 않는다. 이스라엘과 협상하지 않는다 . 그것은 고란 고원에서 철수하지 않고, 예루살렘 문제에 대한 논의가 없으며, 어떤 전제 조건 하에서도 협상이 없다 [ 106 ] .
1997년 이스라엘과 요르단이 평화조약에 서명한 지 불과 3년 후에 벤야민 네타냐후는 이스라엘 이웃 나라 요르단 에서 하마스 의 지도자 하리드 마샤알 을 암살하는 모사드 의 작전을 승인했다 [ 107 ] . 모사드 팀의 5명은 캐나다인 관광객을 치장하고, 1997년 9월 27일에 요르단에 들어가, 수도 암만 의 거리에 마샬의 귀에 독물을 주사했다. 이 음모는 노출되어 두 명의 공작원이 요르단 경찰에 체포되었고, 나머지 세 명은 이스라엘 대사관에 숨어 그 후 군대에 포위되었다 [ 107 ] . 화난 후세인 왕은 이스라엘에게 해독제를 건네줄 것을 요구하고 평화조약을 파기하라고 위협했다 [ 107 ] . 네타니야프 총리는 빌 클린턴 미 대통령의 압력을 받아 요구에 접어 셰이크 아하마드 야신을 포함한 요르단인과 팔레스타인인 포로 61명의 석방을 명했다. 이 사건에 의해, 평화조약을 체결한지 얼마 안된 이스라엘과 요르단의 관계가 급격히 악화되었다 [ 107 ] .
벤야민 네타냐후 총리는 임기 중 경제 자유화 과정도 시작해 자유 시장 경제를 향한 한 걸음을 내디뎠다. 그는 감시하에 정부는 은행과 대기업 국영기업의 주식 매각을 시작했다. 네타냐후 총리는 또한 이스라엘의 엄격한 외환 규제를 크게 완화하고, 이스라엘인이 무제한 자금을 국외로 꺼내고, 외국의 은행 계좌를 개설하고, 외화를 보유하고, 다른 나라에 자유롭게 투자할 수 있도록 했다 [ 108 ] [ 109 ] .
네타냐후 총리는 임기를 통해 이스라엘의 정치적 좌파의 반대를 받아 헤브론 등에서 팔레스타인에 대한 양보와 아라파트와의 협상 전반 때문에 우파로부터의 지지를 잃었다. 네타냐후 총리는 결혼이나 부패 혐의 등의 스캔들이 오랫동안 이어져 이스라엘 국민의 지지를 잃었다. 1997년 경찰은 네타냐후 총리에 영향력을 퍼뜨린 부패 혐의로 기소하도록 권고했다. 그는 죄장을 경감하는 사법장관을 임명한 혐의로 고발되었지만, 검찰은 재판에 걸리는 증거가 불충분하다는 판결을 내렸다 [ 110 ] . 1999년에 이스라엘 경찰이 정부 계약자로부터 무료 서비스 10만 달러를 받기 위해 네타니야프 총리를 부패 혐의로 재판할 것을 권고했을 때 네타니야프 총리는 새로운 스캔들에 직면했다. 이스라엘 사법장관은 증거의 어려움을 이유로 기소하지 않았다 [ 111 ] .
선거 패배
1999년 이스라엘 총선과 총리 직접 선거 에서 이스라엘 노동당을 중심으로 한 정당연합 원이스라엘의 에 푸드 바락이 승리하여 새로운 총리가 되기로 결정한 뒤 네타니야프는 신정권이 발족하기 전에 (잠정) 총리와 리쿠 도 의 당수를 사임 112 ] . 그 후 이스라엘의 통신 기기 메이커 BATM Advanced Communications에서 상급 컨설턴트를 2년간 맡았다 [ 113 ] [ 114 ] [ 115 ] .
2000 년 말 버락 정권이 붕괴하자 벤야민 네타니야프는 정계 복귀에 대한 의욕을 표명했다. 법률에 따라 버락의 사임에 따라 총리 직접 선거만을 하게 되었다. 네타냐후 총리는 총선 선거 뿐만 아니라 총선도 실시하도록 주장했고, 그렇지 않으면 안정된 정권을 유지하는 것은 불가능하다고 주장했다. 네타니야프는 궁극적으로 총리 직접 선거에 입후보하지 않기로 결정했지만, 이것이 당시 네타니야프보다 인기가 없다고 생각되었던 아리엘 샤론 의 놀라운 대두를 촉진했다. 지난 2001년 총리 직접 선거에서 샤론이 승리해 총리가 됐다. 리쿠드와 노동당 등이 협력해 거국 일치 정부(제29대 정부)가 성립했다.
2002년 9월 9일 캐나다 퀘벡주 몬트리올 의 콩코르디아 대학 에서 예정된 벤야민 네타니야프의 연설은 수백 명의 부모 팔레스타인 데모 참가자가 경비원을 제압하고 유리창을 찢어서 중단되었다 . 네타니야프 총리는 항의 활동에 참가하지 않았고, 기간 동안 계속 호텔에 머물고 있었다. 그 후, 동씨는 활동가들이 테러리즘과 「광기의 열광」을 지원하고 있다고 비난했다 [ 116 ] . 몇 주 후인 2002년 10월 1일, 약 200명의 데모 참가자가 피츠버그의 하인츠 홀 출연 밖에서 벤야민 네타니야프와 면회했지만, 피츠버그 경찰, 이스라엘 치안 부대, 피츠버그 SWAT 부대는 다운타운의 홀이나 듀케인 클럽 , 교 ] .
2002년 9월 12일에 벤야민 네타냐후는 미국 하원의 감시·정부 개혁위원회에서 이라크 정권이 가져오는 핵의 위협에 대해(민간인으로서의 선서 아래) 다음과 같이 증언했다. 그리고 핵무기 개발을 향해 전진하고 있는 것에는 아무런 의문도 없습니다.”라고 그는 말했다. “ 그리고 일단 그가 그것을 얻으면 역사가 즉시 바뀌는 것에 의문 의 여지 가 없습니다 . ” 118 .
2002년 11월, 이스라엘 노동당이 연립정권을 이탈했기 때문에 외상의 자리가 공석이 되었고, 샤론 총리와 네타니야프는 조기에 총선거를 실시하는 것과 교환하여 네타니야프가 샤론에 협력하여 외무대신이 되기 로 합의 했다 [ 120 ] . 네타니야프는 샤론 당목에 도전해 2002년 11월 28일 리쿠드당 수선거 에서 싸웠지만, 샤론 55.88% 대 네타니야프 40.08%로 샤론이 승리하여 당수를 이어가기로 했다 [ 122 ] [ 123 ] .
재무부 장관 (2003-2005년)
2003년 1월 제16회 이스라엘 의회 선거 에서 샤론이 이끄는 리쿠드가 승리한 후, 많은 관찰자가 의외의 움직임으로 간주했지만, 샤론 총리는 실반 샬롬을 외무 장관으로 임명하고, 네타니야프를 재무 장관으로 임명했다. 일부 전문가들은 샤론 총리가 외상으로 보여준 유능성을 감안하면 벤야민 네타니야프를 정치적 위협으로 간주했기 때문에 이런 움직임을 한 것이 아닌가, 경제가 불안정한 시기에 네타니야프를 재무부 장관에 두면 네타니야프의 인기를 떨어뜨릴 수 있을까 추측할 수 있을 것이라고 추측하고 있다. 네타니야프는 새로운 임명을 받아들였다. 샤론과 네타냐후는 샤론 총리에 의한 이스라엘의 군사·외교관리에 대한 네타냐후의 침묵과 대비하여 네타니야프가 재무부 장관으로서 완전한 자유를 주고 샤론 총리의 모든 개혁을 지지하겠다는 합의에 이르렀다 [ 124 ] .
벤야민 네타냐후는 재무 장관으로서 이스라엘 경제를 제2차 인티파더 침체기로부터 회복시키기 위한 경제계획에 착수했다. 벤야민 네타니야프 재무장관은 경제성장을 억제하는 주요 원인은 공공부문의 비대화와 과도한 규제에 있다고 주장했다. 그의 계획에는 보다 자유화된 시장으로의 전환이 포함되었지만 비판이 없었던 것은 아니었다. 그는 사람들에게 일과 훈련에 대한 응모를 의무화함으로써 복지의존을 없애는 프로그램을 제정하고, 공공 부문의 규모를 축소하고, 정부 지출을 3년간 동결하고, 재정적자의 상한을 1%로 설정했다. 세제의 합리화와 감세가 이루어져 개인의 최고세율은 64%에서 44%로, 법인세율은 36%에서 18%로 인하되었다. 은행, 석유 정제소, 엘알 국영 항공사, 짐 통합 해운 서비스 등 수십억 달러 상당의 다수의 국가 자산이 민영화됐다. 남녀 모두 퇴직 연령이 인상돼 외환법도 더욱 자유화됐다. 상업은행은 장기저축을 분리할 수밖에 없었다. 게다가 네타니야프 재무장관은 경쟁을 격화시키기 위해 독점 기업과 카르텔을 공격했다. 이스라엘 경제가 급성장하기 시작하고 실업률이 크게 저하되면 네타냐프 재무부 장관은 임기 종료까지 '경제의 기적'을 일으켰다고 평론가들로부터 널리 인정되었다 [ 125 ] [ 126 ] [ 127 ] .
그러나 노동당의 반대파(그리고 그 씨의 리쿠드 내부의 소수파도)는 네타니야프 재무대신의 정책을 존경받는 이스라엘의 사회적 안전망에 대한 '사차라이트'의 공격으로 간주했다 [ 128 ] [ 출처 무효 ] . 궁극적으로 경제 성장이 급상승하는 반면 실업률은 감소하고 채무 대 GDP 비율은 세계 최저 수준으로 떨어졌으며 해외 투자는 기록적인 고수준에 달했다 [ 129 ] .
2004년 가자지구 철수 계획에 반대하고 있는 네타니야프 재무부 장관은 샤론 총리가 주민투표 없이 가자지구 철수를 하려고 하면 장관을 사임하겠다고 위협했다. 그 후 그는 마지막 통고를 수정하여 국회에서 이 계획에 찬성표를 던졌고, 그 직후에 14일 이내에 국민투표가 이루어지지 않는 한 사임할 의향을 나타냈다 [ 130 ] . 2005년 8월 7일에 네타냐프는 장관을 사임했다. 그 직후, 이스라엘 내각은 각의에서 가자의 이식지 중 3개로부터의 퇴퇴를 17대 5로 승인했다 [ 131 ] .
야당 지도자 (2006-2009년)
2005년 11월, 이스라엘 총리에서 리쿠도 당목 샤론이 리쿠드를 이당했기 때문에 네타냐후는 리쿠드 당목의 유력 후보 중 한 명이 되었다. 이에 앞서 그가 최근 시도한 것은 2005년 9월로 리쿠드당이 총리 자리에 있는 동안 동당당수 자리를 베팅한 예비선을 조기에 실시하려고 한 것으로 사실상 아리엘 샤론을 사임시켰다. 당은 이 구상을 거부했다. 2005년 12월 20일, 네타니야프는 리쿠드의 당수 선거 에서 47%를 획득했으며, 실반 샬롬이 32%, 모쉐 페이그린이 15%가 되어 리쿠드의 당수 자리를 되찾았다 [ 132 ] . 2006년 3월의 쿠네세트 선거에서는 리쿠드가 카디마, 노동당에 이은 제3위가 되었고, 네타니야프가 야당 지도자 (야당 제1당의 당수)를 맡았다 [ 133 ] . 2007년 8월 14일에 네타니야프는 극우 후보인 모셰 페이그린과 세계 리쿠드 의장인 다니 다논에 대해 투표의 73%를 획득하여 리쿠드 의장 및 총리 후보로 재선되었다 [ 134 ] . 그는 2008년 이스라엘과 하마스의 정전에 반대했다. 구체적으로 네타냐프는 “이것은 긴장 완화가 아니다. 이스라엘은 하마스가 군사력을 재조정하기로 합의한 것 같다. 이와 대조하여 우리는 무엇을 얻을 것인가 ? ”
2008년 전반에 의사들은 양성인 것으로 판명된 작은 결장 폴립을 절제했다 [ 136 ] .
치피 리브니가 카디마 당수로 선출되었고, 오르멜트가 총리를 사임한 후, 네타니야프는 리브니가 결성하려고 했던 연립정권에의 참가를 거부하고 해산과 총선거를 할 것을 요구했다 [ 137 ] [ 138 ] . 리브니가 과반수를 정리하지 못하고 연립정권을 형성하지 못했기 때문에 해산과 총선거가 정해졌다.
2009년 2월 10일에 열린 제18회 이스라엘 의회 선거에서 리브니가 이끄는 정당 카디마가 28의석에서 제1당에, 네타니야프가 이끄는 정당 리쿠드가 27의석에서 제2당이 되었다. 리쿠드의 비교적 부진의 설명으로 생각되는 것은 그때까지 리쿠드를 지지하고 있던 사람의 일부가 이번에는 아비그돌 리베르만이 이끄는 이스라엘 베이테누당에 투표한 것이다. 그러나 리쿠드를 중심으로 한 우익 블록 전체에서는 과반수를 획득했기 때문에 네타냐프는 이스라엘 대통령 시몬 페레스로부터 총리로 지명되어 정당 간 연립협정의 협상을 시작했다.
우파 정당이 국회에서 65석의 과반수를 획득했음에도 불구하고, 네타니야프는 보다 광범위한 중도연합을 선호하며 라이벌인 치피 리브니가 이끄는 정당 카디마에게 정권 참여를 요구했다. 평화 프로세스의 진행 방법을 둘러싼 의견의 차이가 장애가 되어, 이번에는 리브니가 참가를 거부하는 차례가 되었다. 네타냐후는 에후드 바락이 당수를 맡는 소규모 라이벌인 노동당을 정권에 참가시키는 데 성공했고 어느 정도 중도파의 색조를 주었다. 네타니야프는 2009년 3월 31일 쿠네세토(국회)에게 새로운 내각을 승인하라고 요구했다. 그날 제32차 정권은 의원 69명 대 45명(기권 5명)의 과반수에 의해 승인되어 취임 선서했다 [ 139 ] [ 140 ] . 이로써 제32차 정권이 성립되어 정식으로 총리가 됐다.
총리 (2009-2021년)
2기째
2009년 3월 3일에 힐러리 클린턴 미 국무장관은 팔레스타인 국가 수립에 대한 지지를 표명했다. 그러나이 솔루션은 이전에 미국의 협력을 약속했던 Benjamin Netaniyah에 의해지지되지 않았다 [ 141 ] [ 142 ] . 4월, 오바마 대통령 정권의 특사 조지 미첼이 도착할 때, 네타냐후 총리는 팔레스타인과의 협상 촉진에는 팔레스타인이 이스라엘을 유대 국가로 승인하는 것이 조건이 된다고 말했다 [ 143 ] .
2009년 6월 4일 오바마 대통령의 이슬람 세계에 대한 카이로 연설에서 오바마 대통령은 특히 “미국은 이스라엘 정착 지속의 정당성을 인정하지 않았다”고 말했다. 오바마 대통령의 카이로 연설 후 네타냐후 총리는 즉시 특별 정부 회의를 소집했다. 오바마 대통령의 카이로 연설에서 10일 후인 6월 14일, 네타니야프 총리는 바르이란 대학 에서 연설하고 예루살렘 (동서 예루살렘)이 이스라엘의 통일 수도이어야 한다고 하면서도 “팔레스타인 사람들이 팔레스타인 난민을 이스라엘 국내에 정착시키자 요구( 팔레스타인의 귀환권 )를 포기하고(이스라엘이 팔레스타인의 국가가 되지 않도록) 이스라엘을 유대인의 국가로 인정하고, 또한 팔레스타인 국가가 비무장화된다는 보증이 있으면, 우리는 비무장의 팔레스타인 국가를 인정할 준비가 있다 ” 고 말했다 144 ] [ 145 ] . 그는 또한 요르단 강 서안의 기존 유태인 정착지의 '자연적인 성장' 권리를 주장했지만, 그 영구적인 지위는 향후 협상에 달려 있다고 한다. 팔레스타인 고위 사예브 엘레캣은 예루살렘, 난민, 정착지에 관한 네타냐후 총리의 선언으로 이 연설은 “영구적 지위 협상에 문을 닫았다”고 말했다 [ 146 ] .
임기 개시로부터 3개월 후, 네타니야프 총리는 그의 내각이 이미 기능하는 거국일치 정부의 수립이나 「2국가 해결책」에 대한 광범위한 합의 등 몇 가지 주목할 만한 성공을 거두었다고 말했다 [ 147 ] . 하아레츠에 의한 2009년 7월의 조사에서는 대부분의 이스라엘인들이 네타니야프 정권을 지지하고 있으며, 네타니야프 정권의 개인적인 지지율은 약 49%인 것으로 판명되었다 [ 148 ] . 네타냐후 총리는 이동의 자유와 수입의 흐름을 허용하기 위해 요르단 강 서쪽 해안의 검문소를 해제했다. 이것은 요르단 강 서쪽 해안의 경제 활성화로 이어졌습니다 [ 149 ] [ 150 ] . 2009년에 네타냐후 총리는 아랍 평화 구상("사우디 평화 구상"이라고도 함)을 환영하고 바레인 의 살만 빈 하마드 빈 이사 알 칼리파 황태자의 사우디 아라비아 관계 정상화의 호소 를 칭찬 했다 [ 152 ] .
2009년 8월 팔레스타인 자치정부 의 마흐무드 아바스 의장은 유엔 총회 에서 네타니야프 총리와 회담 할 준비가 있다고 선언했고, 거기서 네타니야프 총리는 오바마 대통령의 '삼국 정상회담'에 초대를 받아들였지만, 그것이 반드시 말했다 . . 네타냐후 총리는 이러한 합의를 둘러싼 매우 중요한 시기에 있다고 보고되었으며, 그 합의는 모든 후속 정착지를 동결시키는 대신 요르단 강 서쪽 해안에서 의 이미 승인된 건설의 계속 허가와 동부에서의 건설 계속의 허가를 둘러싼 타협이 포함되어 있다고 보고되고 있는 예루살렘, 그리고 동시에 거기에 사는 아랍인의 집의 파괴를 멈췄다 [ 154 ] . 2009년 9월 4일에 네타니야프 총리는 임시 정착지 동결 협정이 체결되기 전에 더 많은 정착지 건설을 승인하겠다는 정착민의 정치적 요구에 동의할 예정이라고 보도되었다 [ 155 ] . 백악관 보도관 로버트 깁스는 이 움직임에 대해 '유감의 뜻'을 표명했다 [ 156 ] . 그러나 한 미국 당국자는이 조치로 "열차가 탈선"하지 않는다고 말했다 [ 157 ] .
2009년 9월 7일 에 네타니야프 총리는 목적지를 보고하지 않고 집무실을 떠났다. 총리 군사장관 메일 칼리피 소장은 그 후 네타냐후 총리가 이스라엘의 치안시설을 방문했다고 보고했다 [ 158 ] . 몇몇 다른 통신사가 그가 어디에 있었는지에 대한 몇 가지 다른 기사를 보도했다 [ 159 ] . 2009년 9월 9일에 예디오트 아할로노스는 이스라엘 지도자가 S-300 대공 미사일 시스템을 이란에 매각하지 않도록 러시아 당국자를 설득하기 위해 비밀리에 모스크바로 날아갔다고 보고했다 [ 160 ] [ 161 ] [ 162 ] . 표제는 네타니야프 총리를 '거짓말쟁이'로 정하고 이 사건을 '대실패'라고 불렀다. 그 후 이 사건을 이유로 총리의 군사장관이 해임된다고 보도되었다 [ 163 ] [ 164 ] [ 165 ] . 선데이 타임즈는 이 방문이 이스라엘이 이란의 핵무기 개발 의혹을 돕고 있다고 믿는 러시아 과학자의 이름을 공유하기 위해 이루어졌다고 보도했다 [ 166 ] .
2009년 9월 24일에 네타니야프 총리는 뉴욕 유엔 총회에서의 연설에서 이란은 세계 평화에 대한 위협이며 이슬람 공화국의 핵무기 취득을 저지하는 것이 세계기관의 의무라고 말했다 [ 167 ] [ 168 ] . 네타니야프 총리는 아우슈비츠의 청사진을 흔들며 나치에게 살해된 자신의 가족의 기억을 불러일으켰고, 홀로코스트에 관한 이란 대통령 마흐무드 아흐마디네자드의 질문에 대해 열렬하고 공공장소에서 반격하며 “부끄러워 하지 않을까 ? ”
쌍방에 평화협상의 재개를 촉구하는 오바마 정권의 압력에 응해, 2009년 11월 25일에 네타니야프 총리는 10개월간의 이식지 건설의 일부 동결 계획을 발표했다. 이스라엘의 주요 일간지 하아렛의 분석에 따르면, 발표된 부분 동결은 실제의 이식지 건설에 큰 영향은 없었다고 한다 [ 170 ] . 미국 특사 조지 미첼은 "미국은 이스라엘 제스처의 한계에 대해 아랍 국가의 우려를 공유하고 있지만, 이것은 어느 이스라엘 정부가 지금까지 했던 것 이상이다"고 말했다. 발표 속에서 네타니야프 총리는 이 움직임을 ‘평화 프로세스를 촉구하는 고통스러운 조치’라고 부르며 팔레스타인 측에 대응을 촉구했다 [ 171 ] [ 172 ] . 팔레스타인 사람들은 요르단 강 서안 지역에서 최근 승인 된 수천 개의 이식지 건물이 계속 건설되었으며 동 예루살렘에서의 이식 활동이 동결되지 않는다는 점에서이 제스처는 "중요하지 않다"고 말하면서이 호소를 거부했다 [ 173 ] .
2010년 3월 이스라엘 정부는 이러한 행위가 이스라엘과 예루살렘 사이의 평화협상을 방해한다는 현미 정부의 입장에도 불구하고 라마트 슈로모라는 동 예루살렘 북부의 대규모 유태인 주택 개발지에 추가 1,600 호 아파트 건설을 승인했다 . 팔레스타인 사람. 이스라엘 정부의 발표는 조 바이덴 부통령 방문 중에 이루어졌으며, 그 후 미국 정부는이 계획에 대해 강한 말로 비난을 발표했다 [ 175 ] . 네타니야프 총리는 이후 모든 이스라엘 정부가 인근에서 건설을 지속적으로 허가하고 있으며, 라마트 슈로모와 기로와 같은 특정 인근 지역은 어느 쪽이 제안한 최종 합의안에 항상 이스라엘의 일부로 포함되어 왔다고 성명을 발표했다. 오늘까지의 측면. 네타냐후 총리는 발표 타이밍을 유감스럽게 생각했지만, “예루살렘에 대한 우리의 정책은 42년간 전 이스라엘 정부가 답습해 온 정책과 같고 변하지 않았다”고 주장했다 [ 176 ] .
2010년 9월에 네타냐후 총리는 오바마 정권의 중개로 오랜만에 팔레스타인과의 직접 교섭에 들어가는 데 동의했다 [ 177 ] . 이러한 직접적인 상호작용의 궁극적인 목적은 유대인과 팔레스타인을 위한 이국적 해결책을 형성함으로써 이스라엘 팔레스타인 분쟁에 대한 공식적인 '최종 지위 해결'의 틀을 구축하는 것이다. 9월 27일에 10개월간의 입식 동결이 종료되고, 이스라엘 정부는 동 예루살렘을 포함한 요르단 강 서안에서의 신규 건설을 승인했다 [ 178 ] . 2011년 7월에 퇴임했을 때, 전 미국 국방장관 로버트 게이츠 는 네타냐후 총리가 미국에 몰라 이스라엘을 위험에 빠뜨리고 있다고 말했다. 이에 반해 리쿠도당은 대다수의 이스라엘 국민이 총리를 지지하고 있으며, 이 총리는 미국에서 폭넓은 지지를 얻고 있다고 말해 네타냐후 총리를 옹호했다 [ 179 ] [ 180 ] .
네타냐후 총리는 1987년 미국의 기밀문서를 이스라엘에게 건네준 죄로 종신형을 받고 있는 미국인 조나단 폴라드의 조기 석방을 요구했지만 실패했다. 그는 1998년 와이 강 정상 회담에서 이 문제를 제기했으며, 빌 미국 대통령은 다음과 같이 주장했다. 클린턴 국무장관은 폴라드 석방에 내밀하게 동의했다 [ 181 ] [ 182 ] . 2002년에 네타니야프 총리는 노스캐롤라이나 주 감옥에 있는 폴라드를 방문했다. 이스라엘 총리는 폴라드의 아내와의 연락을 유지하고 오바마 정권에 폴라드의 석방을 적극적으로 압박했다 [ 183 ] [ 184 ] [ 185 ] [ 186 ] .
2011년에 사회 정의를 요구하는 항의 활동이 이스라엘 전역에서 발발했습니다. 이스라엘 전역에서 수십만 명이 생활비 높이에 항의했다. 이에 따라 네타냐후 총리는 문제를 조사하고 해결책을 제안하기 위해 마누엘 트라지텐베르크 교수가 위원장을 맡는 트라지텐버그 위원회를 임명했다. 위원회는 2011년 9월에 높은 생활비를 인하하기 위한 권고를 제출했다 [ 187 ] . 네타니야프 총리는 개혁안을 각의에서 일괄적으로 추진하겠다고 약속했으나 연립정권 내의 의견 차이로 인해 개혁안은 서서히 채용되게 되었다 [ 188 ] [ 189 ] .
Netaniyah 총리의 내각은 또한 모든 가정에 저렴하고 빠른 광섬유 인터넷 액세스를 제공하기 위해 전국에 광섬유 케이블 네트워크를 구축 할 계획을 승인했다 [ 190 ] [ 191 ] .
2012년 네타니야프는 당초 조기선거 실시를 계획하고 있었지만, 그 후 2013년 국정선거까지 이스라엘을 끝까지 완수하기 위해 논란을 일으키는 거국일치 정부의 수립을 감독했다 [ 192 ] . 2012년 5월, 네타니야프는 처음으로 정식으로 선거의 권리를 인정했다. 팔레스타인이 독자적인 국가를 갖기 위해서는 공식 문서인 마후무드 아바스에 대한 서한 속에서 이전과 마찬가지로 [ 193 ] , 비무장화할 필요가 있다고 선언했다 [ 194 ] . 2012년 10월 25일 네타니야프 총리와 아비그돌 리버먼 외무부 장관은 각각 정당인 리쿠드와 이스라엘 베이 테인 이 2013년 1월 22일로 예정된 이스라엘 총선에서 비례 명단을 통합하여 공동 입후보한다고 발표 했다 .
3기째
2013년 제19회 쿠네세트 총선 에서 네타니야프 총리가 이끄는 정당연합 리쿠드 베이테인은 리쿠드와 이스라엘 베이테인의 전 선거 총 의석 보다 11 석이 줄었지만 제1당이 됐다. 이스라엘의 시몬 페레스 대통령은 쿠네세트 의 제1당 네타냐후에게 제33회 이스라엘 정부 수립의 임무를 부과했다. 3월에 제3차 네타니야프 내각(제33대 정부)이 성립했다. 새로운 연립정권에는 예슈아티드당, 유대인 가당, 하트누아당이 포함되어 있어 예슈아티드당과 유대인 집의 주장으로 초정통파 정당은 제외되어 야당이 되었다.
네타냐후 총리의 3기째 동안 경제자유화 정책을 계속했다. 2013년 12월 국회는 기업 집중법을 승인했다. 이는 소비자 물가를 낮추고 소득 격차를 줄이고 경제 성장을 촉진하기 위해 이스라엘의 고도로 집중된 경제를 경쟁에 개방하는 것을 목표로 한다. 네타냐후 총리는 2010년에 집중위원회를 설치했으며, 이 법안은 동 정권에 의해 추진되어 그 권고를 실시했다. 새로운 법률은 CEO의 가족 및 기타 관계자가 공개회사를 보유하고, 그 공개회사가 다른 공개회사를 소유하고 가격 상승을 할 수 있는 다층적인 기업 보유구조를 금지했다. 이 법에 따라 기업은 2층 이상의 상장기업을 소유하고, 금융기업과 비금융기업 모두를 보유하는 것이 금지되었다. 모든 복합기업에는 과잉보유주를 매각하기 위해 4~6년의 유예가 주어졌다 [ 196 ] [ 197 ] . 네타니야프 총리는 또한 소비자 물가를 낮추고 수출을 늘리기 위해 이스라엘 항만 관리국의 노동자들의 독점으로 간주한 것을 깨기 위해 항만 민영화 캠페인을 시작했다. 2013년 7월 그는 하이파 와 애슈도드 의 민간항 건설 입찰을 발행했다 [ 198 ] . Netaniyah 총리는 또한 산업 부담을 줄이기 위해 과도한 관료주의와 규제를 억제 할 것을 약속했다 [ 199 ] .
2014년 4월과 6월에도 네타니야프 총리는 하마스와 팔레스타인 자치정부가 합의해 통일정부를 수립했을 때 깊은 우려를 표명하고, 팔레스타인 연립정부와 협력한다는 미국과 유럽 양 정부의 결정을 엄격히 비판했다 [ 200 ] . 그는 2014년 6월에 이스라엘의 십대 3명을 납치·살해한 것은 하마스라고 비난하고 [ 201 ] , 요르단 강 서쪽 해안에서 특히 하마스의 멤버를 표적으로 한 대규모 수색·체포 작전을 개시하고, 그 후 가자 지구에서 몇 주간에 60. 2014년 6월 30일 정부가 의심할 충분한 이유가 있었기 때문에 거의 즉시 살해된 십대들의 시신이 발견된 후, 가자 과격파와 이스라엘 국방군 사이의 미사일과 로켓탄의 교환은 에스컬레이션했다 [ 202 ] . 몇 명의 하마스 공작원 뒤 폭발이나 이스라엘 폭격으로 사망했기 때문에 하마스는 가자에서 이스라엘로 로켓탄 을 발사 한다고 공식적 으로 선언 했다 . 총리는 미국의 텔레비전 프로그램을 순회하며 CNN의 인터뷰에서 하마스를 '대량학살 테러리스트'로 평가했다 [ 205 ] . 작전에 의한 가자 지구의 사람들의 사상자가 "제 3차 인티파더"를 일으킬 가능성이 있는지 질문에 대해, 네타냐후 총리는 하마스가 그 목표를 향해 임하고 있다고 대답했다 [ 206 ] .
2014년 10월에 네타냐프 정부는 정부기업 부패와 정치화를 줄이고 이스라엘 자본시장을 강화하는 민영화 계획을 승인했다. 이 계획에서는 무기 제조회사, 에너지회사, 우편회사, 수도회사, 철도회사를 포함한 국유기업, 및 하이파항과 아슈도드항의 소수주주가 최대 49% 보유된다 [ 207 ] . 같은 달에 네타냐후 총리는 정착민 비판을 '미국의 가치관에 반한다'며 이 발언은 백악관 보도관 조쉬 어니스트로부터 격렬한 꾸짖음을 받았지만 그는 미국의 가치관이 이스라엘에 지속적인 자금제공뿐만 아니라 그 결과를 가져왔다고 지적했다. 단, 아이언 돔 등의 보호 기술. 네타냐후 총리는 유대인이 사는 곳에 대한 제한이 허용되지 않는다고 설명했고, 예루살렘의 아랍인과 유대인은 원하는 곳에서 주택을 구입할 수 있어야 한다고 말했다. 미국의 비난에는 "당황스럽다"고 말했다. 백악관은 “그것은 미국의 가치관에 반하고 있다. 그리고 평화에 있어서 좋은 전조가 아니다. 평화의 조건으로서 이 민족정화를 행한다는 생각은, 반평화라고 생각한다.”라고 성명을 내렸다 [ 208 ] [ 209 ] [ 210 ] . 얼마 지나지 않아 애틀랜틱 종이 제프리 골드버그는 미국 정부가 이스라엘의 정착 정책에 화를 냈고, 네타냐프가 이스라엘에 대한 경멸을 표명했고, 네타냐프와 백악관의 관계가 새로운 최저 수준에 이르렀다고 보도했다 [ 211 ] .
2014년 12월 2일에 네타니야프 총리는 중도파 예슈 아티드당을 이끄는 야일 라피드 재무장관과 하트누아당을 이끄는 치피 리브니 법무부 장관의 두 장관을 해임했다. 이 변화는 정부의 해산으로 이어지고, 2015년 3월 17일에 새로운 선거가 예정되어 있다 [ 212 ]
2015년 1월에 네타니야프 총리는 미국 의회에서 연설에 초대되었다. 이 연설은 네타냐후 총리의 합동 의회에서 3번째 연설이 되었다. 그가 의회에서 연설할 것을 발표하기 전날, 타임지는 미국 의원과 모사드 장관 타밀 팔드와의 회담을 방해하려고 했다고 보도하고, 모사드 장관은 핵개발을 미치게 할 가능성이 있는 이란에 대한 추가 제재의 발동에 대해 경고할 예정이었다 [ 213 ] [ 214 ] . 연설에 앞서 2015년 3월 3일 미국 이스라엘 총영사는 “미국 유태인 커뮤니티와 이스라엘 동맹국으로부터의 격렬한 부정적인 반응을 예상하고 있었다”. 반대 의견에는 오바마 정권의 지원과 관여 없이 연설의 약정과 2015년 3월 17일 이스라엘 선거 전 연설 타이밍 등이 포함됐다. 미국 유대계 의원 7명이 론더머 주미 이스라엘 대사와 회담하고, 네타냐후 총리에게 대신 의원들과 비공개로 회담하여 이란에 대해 논의하도록 권고했다 [ 215 ] . 네타냐후 총리는 연설에서 전 세계 모든 유대인을 대변하고 있다고 주장했지만, 이 주장에는 유대인 커뮤니티의 다른 사람들이 이의를 제기했다 [ 216 ] [ 217 ] [ 218 ] [ 219 ] . 유대인 평화의 목소리 사무국장인 레베카 빌 커머슨은 “미국 유대인들은 네타냐후와 다른 이스라엘 정치인들이 우리가 선택한 것이 아니라 우리의 대변자라고 주장하도록 선택하지 말아야 한다”고 말했다 [ 220 ].
2015년 이스라엘 선거에서 접전으로 보였던 선거일이 다가오는 가운데 네타냐후 총리는 자신의 임기 중에 팔레스타인 국가는 수립되지 않을까 하는 질문에 '그대로'라고 대답했다. 그는 선거운동 속에서 “지금 팔레스타인 국가를 수립하기 위해 누군가가 (팔레스타인에게) 토지를 건네면, 그것은 이슬람 과격파에게 이스라엘을 공격할 장소를 제공하게 될 것이라고 생각했다” [ 221 ] . 하지만 당첨 후 MSNBC 인터뷰에서 네타니야프 총리는 “팔레스타인 문제에서 오른쪽으로 타를 깎은 건 아니다. 나는 정책을 바꾸지 않았다. 나는 2009년 바루=이란 대학에서 연설을 철회하지 않았다. 나는 한 국가 해결을 원하지 않는다 . 222 ] [ 223 ] .
4기째
2015년 3월 제20회 쿠네세트 총선 에서 네타니야프가 당수를 맡은 리쿠드 가 30의석분 표를 얻어 제1당이 됐다. 리브린 대통령은 기한의 4주까지 의회의 과반수를 정리하는 연립협정을 맺을 수 없었던 네타냐후에게 2015년 5월 6일까지 그 기한의 연장을 인정했다 [ 224 ] . 5월 6일의 기한 직전에 그와 리쿠도당은 유대인의 집, 통일 톨러 유대교, 클라누, 그리고 샤스와 61의석의 연립 정권을 결성했다 [ 225 ] [ 226 ] .
2015년 5월 28일에 네타니야프는 다음 총선에서 전례가 없는 5기째 총리에 입후보하고 리쿠드당 내 MK( 쿠네세트 의원) 후보자를 선택하는 현재 프로세스를 지지한다고 발표했다 [ 227 ] .
2015년 8월에 네타냐프 정부는 농업개혁과 수입관세 인하를 줄이는 2년간의 예산을 승인했다. 식량 가격, 주택 비용 절감 및 인프라 구축 속도 향상을위한 건설 승인 프로세스 규제 완화, 경쟁 및 금융 서비스 수수료 감소를 촉진하기 위해 금융 부문의 개혁을 실시했다 [ 228 ] [ 229 ] . 결국 정부는 몇 가지 중요한 농업 개혁을 제거함으로써 타협을 강요했다 [ 230 ] .
2015년 10월에 네타니야프는 “ 나치 의 아돌프 히틀러는 처음에는 유대인 을 멸종시키려고 하지 않았고, 유대인을 추방하려고 했다 . )의 아민 후사이니 가 히틀러를 만나고 만약 유대인을 추방하면 그들은 팔레스타인에 올 것이라고 말하고, 그래서 어떻게 하고 싶은지 히틀러에게 묻고 유대인을 태우라고 대답했다”고 발언해 광범한 비판을 받았다 231 ] [ 232 ] [ 233 ] . 이 생각은 주류의 역사가에 의해 부정되고 있다 [ 234 ] . 역사가는 아민 후사이니와 히틀러의 이 회담이 이루어지기 전에 이미 나치에 의한 유대인의 대량 살인이 시작되었다고 한다 [ 235 ] . 네타니야프는 나중에 “나의 발언의 목적은 히틀러에게 죄가 없다고 말하고 싶었던 것이 아니고, 국가(이스라엘)가 아직 없을 무렵, 이른바 점령이 아직 없을 무렵, (이스라엘의) 영토나 정착지 아무래도 현재 팔레스타인 국가의 아버지로서 존경받는 인물이 유대인의 파괴를 열망하고 조직적으로 선동하고 있었다고 보여주는 것이었다. 그리고 그 선동은 현재도 계속되고 있다 ” 고 설명했다. 236 ] [ 237 ] . 독일 총리 앙겔라 메르켈은 네타니야프와의 공동 회견에서 홀로코스트(쇼어)는 (팔레스타인이 아니라) 독일에만 책임이 있다는 역사인식에 변화는 없다고 말했다 [ 238 ] . 가장 강한 비판 중 일부는 이스라엘 학자들로부터 왔습니다. 예후다 바우어는 네타냐 프 의 주장이 "완전히 어리석다"고 말했다 [ 239 ] [ 240 ] . 모셰 틴마만 은 "어떤 형태이든 히틀러가 다른 사람에게 책임을 질려고 하는 시도는 홀로 코스트의 부인에 해당한다"고 말했다 [ 241 ] . 사이먼 위젠탈 센터의 en : Efraim_Zuroff 는 “네타니야프의 발언은 실수이지만 무프티가 홀로코스트와 관련되어 있는 것은 역사적 사실”이라고 말했다. David S. Wyman Institute의 en:Rafael_Medoff 는 “4000명의 유대인을 (당시의) 팔레스타인으로 송환할 계획에 무프티는 반대하고, 그 결과 그 유대인은 아우슈비츠 에게 보내 졌다 .
2016년 3월에 네타냐후의 연합 정권은 초정통파 멤버들이 비정통파 기도 공간을 만들기 위해 정부가 제안한 단계를 철회하겠다고 위협했기 때문에 잠재적인 위기에 직면했다. 그들은 정부가 보수당의 추가 공식 주 승인을 제공하면 연합을 떠날 것이라고 말했다 [ 243 ] .
정책·주장
당내에서는 우파에 속하고 있으며 보수적인 정책으로 알려져 있다. 한편 LGBT 에 대한 권리에 대해서는 인정하고 있다.
사법
네타니야프는 사형존재론 에 속하며, 이식지의 하라 미쉬 에서 발생한 흉악 사건에서는 범인의 사형을 주장하고 있었다.
비판
홀로코스트에 관한 발언
제2차 세계대전 중 홀로 코스트 에 의한 유대인 학살을 아돌프 히틀러 에게 제안한 것은 당시 팔레스타인 지도자 아민 후사이니라는 주장을 자주 하며, 팔레스타인 측은 물론 이스라엘 국내에서도 비판을 받고 있다 [ 244 ] . 독일의 메르켈 총리는 "나치의 책임이라고 독일인은 분명히 인식하고 있다"고 네타 두 야프 에게 반론하고 있다 [ 245 ] .
언론에 의한 비판
2010년 12월 26일자 의 이스라엘 종이 ‘ 하아렛 ’은 사설에서 ‘네타니야프는 우익과 가하 주의자를 용기하고 있다’고 제목을 붙여 네타니야프가 에리트레아 나 수단 등으로부터 전화나 억압, 빈곤으로부터 벗어나기 위해 이스라엘에 온 불법이민 “시민을 위협하고 이스라엘의 고용을 위협하고 유태인 민주국가를 위협하고 있는 홍수이다”라고 발언한 것에 대해 “카하네주의자나 우익의 랍비 등 인종차별주의자들에 의한 공격의 모습의 표적을 만들었다”고 쓰고 네타니야프를 엄격히 비판했다 [ 246 ] .
민중에 의한 비판
2011년 7월에 주택가격과 물가 상승, 격렬한 빈부차 등에 항의하는 대규모 시위가 이스라엘 국내에서 이루어지게 되었고, 네타냐후는 이스라엘 국민으로부터 지금까지 없는 격렬한 비판에 노출되어 있다 [ 247 ] .
국내 정치인에 의한 비판
전 이스라엘 첩보 특무청 장관인 타밀 팔드 ( 영어판 )는 네타니야프의 사법개혁과 외교정책에 대해 엄격히 비판하고 있어 “네타니야프는 이스라엘을 아파르트헤이트 국가로 하려고 하고 있다”고 비난하고 있다 [ 248 ] .
하다 시 당수인 아이만 오데프 는 네타 니야 프의 아랍인에 대한 정책과 가자 침공의 대표되는 전쟁에 반대하고 그를 인권 침해를 하고 있는 시리아 와 비교했다.
위기관리에 대한 비판
네타니야프는 보수(우파)계의 정치가이지만, 2023년 10월 7일 해머스의 기습 공격을 사전에 알 수 없었던 것, 해머스의 전투원이 이스라엘 국토에 침입한 후에도 대응이 늦은 것에 대한 비판이 보수계의 이스라엘 국민들 사이에서 퍼졌다. 이스라엘 국방군은 아시아에서 가장 실전 경험이 있어 첩보기관도 우수했음에도 불구하고 200명 이상의 이스라엘 국민의 납치가 발생한 것도 데미지 컨트롤이 되어 있지 않다는 책임 추궁이 이루어지고 있다 [ 249 ] . 이스라엘 국민의 94%가 하마스에 대한 대응에 대한 준비 부족의 책임은 정부에 있다고 생각하고 있으며, 56%는 네타냐후는 분쟁 종결 후에 사임해야 한다고 한다 [ 4 ] .
2023년 전쟁에 대한 비판
2023년 팔레스타인 이스라엘 전쟁 에서 장관인 아미하이 엘리야프 가 “가자에게 원폭을 사용하는 것도 선택의 하나”라고 발언했다 [ 250 ] [ 251 ] 것과, 네타니야프가 본 전쟁에 대해 히브리어 성경 [ 주1 ] 를 인용하고 " 아말렉 사람들이 우리에게 무엇을 했는지 기억하고 우리 성경이 부르고있다" "우리는 아말렉 사람들의 사업을 기억한다" [ 252 ] 라고 발언한 것에 비판이 모였다(「사무엘기」(15장 3절)에서는, 「아말렉을 토벌하고, 아말렉에 속하는 것은 일절, 멸망해라. 남자도 여자도, 아이도 우유 마시자도, 소도 양도, 락 다도 당나귀도 죽여라. 용서해서는 안 된다”고 하나님이 명령했다고 기록되어 있다. 12월 29일 남아프리카 가 이스라엘을 제노사이드 조약 위반 혐의로 국제사법재판소 에 제소 했다. 남아프리카는 제노사이드 의 의도에 대한 증거 중 하나로서 이 네타니야프의 발언을 인증했다 [ 253 ] . 2023년 12월 27일, 터키의 엘도안 대통령은 이스라엘 군에 살해된 가자 주민은 2만명 이상으로 올라간다고 보고한 것에 접하여 “네타니야프는 1940년대에 수백만명의 유대인을 대량 학살한 히틀러와 같다 ” 고 연설 했다 . 2024년 1월 16일 이스라엘 총리 관저는 남아프리카의 '잘못된 바보같은 고발'이자 '해머스의 제노사이드 테러리스트가 행한 사악한 행위와 대치할 필요성을 말한 것'이라고 반론했다 [ 255 ] .
한편 이스라엘 국내에서는 ‘아말렉’ 모두 살해에 대한 지지도 있었다. 네스와 스티라 에 의한 듀오곡 " 하르부 다르부 "은 이스라엘 국방군이 '아말렉의 아이들'에게 지옥의 비를 내리게 한다는 내용으로 가자 지구 등에 대한 공격을 고무하고, 해머스의 이스마이르 하니야 , 이란의 하산 나슬루라프 , 그리고 네스와 스틸라가 "친하머스"로 간주한 벨라 하디 . "Harbu Darbu"는 케셰트 인터내셔널 산하의 'mako' 히트 차트에서 1위가 되는 등 유행가가 되어 IDF 병사에게도 유행했다는 [ 256 ] [ 257 ] [ 258 ] [ 259 ] . "Harbu Darbu"도 "제노사이드적"이라고 비난당했지만 [ 260 ] , 네스와 스티라는 "세계에 우리가 강국, 강한 군대를 가진 나라이며, 나쁜 일뿐이 아닌 것으로 알려져 기쁘다 " 라는 견해 를 보였다.
또 2024년 4월 19일 아비 디히터 농업·지방개발부 장관은 닐 오즈 의 키부츠 에서 해머스 등에게 납치된 이스라엘인이 “(해머스와) 무관여로 여겨진다” 가자 주민에 의해 상해를 입었다고 주장했다. 그 가운데 한 사람 한 사람의 주민을 '테러리스트'라고 부르고 하나님의 계시로 여겨지는 '아말렉의 기억을 하늘 밑에서 지운다('신명기' 25장 19절)'를 빼고 형무소나 무덤 속에 보내야 한다고 주장했다 [ 262 ] .
4월 29일, 베자 렐 스 모트리치 재무상 겸 국방부 부장관은 해머스 등과의 정전에 반대해 “중순한 일 등 존재하지 않는다. 라파 , 데일 알 밸러프 , 누 세이 쥐 는 “완전한 섬멸이다. “아말렉의 기억을 하늘 밑에서 지워라”다. 하늘 밑에 장소 등이 없다 . 263 ] .
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