Biography

He is a third cousin, twice removed, of American actor Leo Howard. The prime minister's maternal great-grandmother, Chaia Sorah Dworsky, was a sister of Leo's maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Jacob Dworsky.

To date 2021, he is the longest-serving Israeli prime minister in history and first to be born in Israel after its Declaration of Independence.

One of three brothers - older brother Yonathan Netanyahu ("Yoni") died a National Hero rescuing hostages from the Entebbe Airport in 1976, younger brother Iddo Netanyahu is a radiologist and writer.

Following the 1999 election, Netanyahu resigned from the Knesset and retired from politics. He now plans to lecture extensively in the United States.

To date (2015), Netanyahu is the second only foreign leader since Winston Churchill to address both houses of Congress on three separate occasions.

My father gave me two pieces of advice when I went into politics. 'Never touch money, and don't use ad hominem attacks on people'. But when I became Prime Minister I asked him, 'What attributes does one need to lead a country?' He was older then and he asked me 'What do you think?' I said 'You need convictions and courage and the ability to act'. He said, 'You need that for anything. What you need to lead a country is education'. And by that he meant an understanding of history, the knowledge to be able to put things in perspective. I didn't expect that answer.

My son tells me I have too many yes-men around me. Oh, what I would give for just one yes-man.

I've been right more than I've been wrong.

I think it's important to place a red line before Iran, and I think that actually reduces the chance of a military conflict because, if they know there's a point - a stage in the enrichment or other nuclear activities that they cannot cross, because they'll face consequences - I think they'll actually not cross it.

Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red line before Israel.