Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (/ˌnɛtɑːnˈjɑːhuː/; Hebrew: ; born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Israel from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. He is expected to return as prime minister following the 2022 Israeli legislative election. He is currently serving as Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of Likud – National Liberal Movement. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in the country's history, having served for a total of 15 years. He was also the first prime minister to be born in Israel after its Declaration of Independence.