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Benjamin Netanyahu Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth21 October 1949

Age75 Years

BirthplaceTel Aviv, Israel

ProfessionPolitician, Economic consultant, Writer, Marketing executive

NationalityIsraeli

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSara Ben-Artzi

FamilyFather: Benzion Netanyahu; Mother: Tzila Segal; Brothers: Yonatan Netanyahu, Iddo Netanyahu; Children: Noa Netanyahu-Roth, Yair Netanyahu, Avner Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu Biography

Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is an Israeli politician who has served multiple terms as Prime Minister and held key cabinet posts across decades. Trained as an

Early life and background

Benjamin Netanyahu was born on 21 October 1949 in Tel Aviv and grew up in Jerusalem. He spent portions of his childhood living in the United States with his family and completed primary schooling in Jerusalem. Netanyahu served in the Israel Defense Forces, taking part in combat operations during the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the Yom Kippur War. In May 1972 he was wounded while involved in the rescue of a hijacked airliner.

After his military service he pursued higher education in the United States. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and then completed a Master of Science at the MIT Sloan School of Management in an accelerated timeframe. He also began work toward a doctorate in political science but did not complete it following the death of his older brother, Yonatan Netanyahu.

Career

Netanyahu's professional path combined consulting, marketing and public service. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he worked as an economic consultant and later led a marketing division for a Jerusalem company. These roles helped him build relationships that would lead into politics.

His diplomatic career included service as Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988. In 1988 he joined the Likud party and was elected to the Knesset, quickly assuming responsibilities in the foreign ministry and later serving as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

Netanyahu rose to party leadership in 1993 and in June 1996 became Israel's youngest-ever prime minister. He left that post in 1999 but remained an influential figure in Israeli politics. Across the 2000s and 2010s he held senior cabinet positions including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance, and he served multiple terms as Leader of the Opposition.

After elections in 2009 he returned to the premiership and continued to lead the country through successive election cycles, remaining a central figure in Israeli government. In May 2020 he headed a unity arrangement that briefly returned him to the premiership; following a resignation he again served as Leader of the Opposition. In November 2022 his party won the election and he was given the task of forming a new government.

Public profile

Netanyahu is a longstanding leader of the Likud party and has been a prominent international interlocutor, meeting with multiple world leaders over the years. He is known for his reading interests in history and geopolitics and for a public persona that includes a well-known nickname, "Bibi."

His family background includes a father who was an academic historian and a younger brother who served in the military. Netanyahu has been married and is the father of three children. His current spouse is Sara Ben-Artzi.

Throughout his time in public life he has been a polarizing figure domestically and internationally; his decisions and lifestyle have attracted both support and criticism on a range of issues. Notable episodes in recent years include public statements and actions related to military operations and government formation during times of conflict.

Latest updates

In 2024 Netanyahu acknowledged a tragic incident in which an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah resulted in a large number of civilian casualties, describing it as a mishap. In June 2024 he dissolved a six-member war cabinet after a member of the Knesset resigned from the emergency government. In November 2024 the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant naming Netanyahu among several individuals; he responded publicly to that development.
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Recent Work

Prime Minister of Israel (multiple terms)

Served multiple terms as Prime Minister, including returning to power after the 2009 elections and leading the government through subsequent election cycles; tasked with forming a government following the November 2022 election victory of Likud.

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Career Highlights

  1. Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations (1984–1988)
  2. Elected to the Knesset and joined Likud (1988)
  3. Leader of the Likud Party (from 1993)
  4. Prime Minister of Israel (first term 18 June 1996–6 July 1999; multiple subsequent terms)
  5. Minister of Finance (28 February 2003–9 August 2005)
  6. Minister of Foreign Affairs (served in early 2000s and again in 2012–2013)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Benjamin Netanyahu born?

21 October 1949

What is Benjamin Netanyahu known for?

Politician, Economic consultant, Writer, Marketing executive

What is Benjamin Netanyahu’s marital status?

Married

Who is Benjamin Netanyahu married to?

Sara Ben-Artzi