Running for Prime Minister
He said on 15 June 2026 that he would run in the next election; on 30 June he called for a broad national government under his leadership.
Who they are
Benjamin Netanyahu has been prime minister of Israel for longer than anyone else, and has led Likud since 1993. He was born in Tel Aviv in 1949 to the historian Benzion Netanyahu and grew up between Jerusalem and Philadelphia. He returned alone at seventeen to enlist, served five years in Sayeret Matkal, and was wounded storming the hijacked Sabena airliner.
He took degrees in architecture and management at MIT. After his brother Yoni was killed commanding the Entebbe rescue he came home, ran the Jonathan Institute for the study of terrorism and handled marketing for the furniture maker Rim Industries. Moshe Arens brought him into public service, first at the embassy in Washington and then as ambassador to the United Nations. He entered the Knesset in 1988 and first took the premiership at forty-six, the youngest the country had had.
He was charged in November 2019 with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases, the first Israeli prime minister to be tried in office. The trial opened in May 2020, and he finished a defence testimony running to 98 hearings in June 2026. He denies wrongdoing. He asked President Herzog for a pardon in November 2025 without admitting guilt; Herzog has not ruled on it and has pressed for plea-bargain talks instead.
Positions and record
Security: Says Israel must retain military freedom of action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and maintain its security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary. He stated this at his press conference on 15 June 2026.
Judiciary: Supports continuing the government’s judicial reform programme. He reaffirmed that position in a Channel 14 interview on 30 June 2026.
Diplomacy: Supports extending the Abraham Accords to Saudi Arabia. His office publicly backed Saudi normalisation with Israel on 23 July 2026.
Palestinian statehood: Opposes a Palestinian state in Gaza or the West Bank. He reiterated that position on 22 August 2026, describing such a state as being controlled by Iran.
Coalition: Calls for a broad national government under his leadership while retaining his current coalition partners, including the Haredi parties and Bezalel Smotrich. He stated this in a Channel 14 interview on 30 June 2026.
Where they stand
Holds the party line on every issue.