Benjamin Netanyahu first came to power in 1996 when he was elected Israel’s prime minister in the first Israeli election where the prime minister was directly elected by the public. He was the youngest person and the first prime minister born in the State of Israel. His initial victory was boosted by public fears over security, particularly following a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings shortly before the election and his campaign positioning as "Mr. Security" promising a safe peace. He served as prime minister until 1999 but lost when calling early elections. Netanyahu returned to power in 2009 amid growing nationalistic and conservative sentiment influenced by factors such as the Second Intifada and Palestinian terrorism. Over the years, despite controversies and political ups and downs, including serving time in opposition, Netanyahu became Israel's longest-serving prime minister, winning multiple elections and leading right-wing governments with strong security and nationalist policies. His political strategy involved forming coalitions across right-wing, ultra-Orthodox, and some centrist parties, emphasizing security, free market policies, and a hard stance on Palestinians. After a brief removal from office in 2021, he made a comeback in late 2022 leading the most right-wing coalition in Israel’s history, maintaining his image as the country's foremost security figure and political survivor.
