Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel · Likud
3 changes of mind on record, 1997–2025
How this works
Each change shows what they said then and what they said later, in their own words, dated, with the source.
Every quote is checked word for word against a saved copy of its source. Translations are labelled.
The short labels on each line are our summaries.
At a glance
- A Palestinian state Against a Palestinian stateOpen to a demilitarised stateNo Palestinian state now Jan 1997Jun 2009Mar 2015Jan 2020May 2024Nov 2025
- Changing the Supreme Court and the judicial system Protect court independenceComprehensive judicial reformPause for broad agreement Feb 2012Jan 2023Mar 2023
- Itamar Ben Gvir as a minister Coalition, not ministerMinister over the police Feb 2021Dec 2022
first said said otherwise
A Palestinian state
Then
Against a Palestinian state
The Palestinians should be offered self-rule, but without the sovereign powers that could endanger Israel; he describes founding a Palestinian state as an aim of part of the previous leadership, not his government's.
"אנחנו משתמשים במרווח שיש לנו בהסכם כדי להשיג את היעדים שלנו: לשמור על אחדותה של ירושלים, להבטיח את מרחבי הביטחון הדרושים להגנת המדינה, לעמוד על זכותם של יהודים להתיישב בארצם, ולהציע לפלשתינים הסדר נאות לשלטון עצמי אבל ללא הסמכויות הריבוניות שיכולות לסכן את מדינת ישראל."
Our translation We are using the leeway we have in the agreement to achieve our goals: to preserve the unity of Jerusalem, to ensure the security space needed to defend the state, to uphold the right of Jews to settle in their land, and to offer the Palestinians a fitting arrangement of self-rule but without the sovereign powers that could endanger the State of Israel.
Source דברי הכנסת, הישיבה ה-62 של הכנסת ה-14: הודעת ראש הממשלה על ההסכמים עם הפלשתינים
12 years, 4 months later
Later
Open to a demilitarised state
If the Palestinians recognise Israel as the Jewish state and accept demilitarisation, Israel will agree in a peace agreement to a demilitarised Palestinian state beside it.
"אם נקבל ערובה זו לפירוז ולסידורי הביטחון הדרושים לישראל, ואם הפלשתינים יכירו בישראל כמדינת העם היהודי, נהיה מוכנים בהסדר שלום עתידי להגיע לפתרון של מדינה פלשתינית מפורזת לצד המדינה היהודית."
Official translation If we receive this guarantee regarding demilitarization and Israel’s security needs, and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, then we will be ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution where a demilitarized Palestinian state exists alongside the Jewish state.
5 years, 9 months later
Later
No Palestinian state now
Establishing a Palestinian state today would hand territory to radical Islam; asked whether there would be no Palestinian state while he is prime minister, he answered "Indeed".
"אני חושב שכל מי שהולך להקים היום מדינת פלסטינית ולפנות שטח, נותן שטח התקפה לאיסלאם הקיצוני נגד מדינת ישראל."
Our translation I think that anyone who goes today to establish a Palestinian state and to evacuate territory is giving radical Islam territory from which to attack the State of Israel.
Source ראש הממשלה: אם אבחר, לא תקום מדינה פלסטינית (nrg, Ariel Kahana) (as reported by makorrishon.co.il)
4 years, 10 months later
Later
Open to a demilitarised state
He agrees to negotiate on the basis of the Trump plan, which he says offers the Palestinians a pathway to a future state if they make peace with the Jewish state and meet the plan's conditions, including Israeli security control west of the Jordan.
“Your peace plan offers the Palestinians a pathway to a future state.”
4 years, 3 months later
Later
Against a Palestinian state
Recognising a Palestinian state would reward terrorism; he says most Palestinians in Judea and Samaria support the 7 October massacre, that they must not be given a state, and that Israel will not agree to it.
"לרוע הזה אסור לתת מדינה. זאת תהיה מדינת טרור, היא תנסה לבצע שוב ושוב את הטבח של ה-7 באוקטובר, ולזה לא נסכים."
Official translation This evil cannot be given a state. This would be a terrorist state. It will try to repeat the massacre of October 7 again and again; we will not consent to this.
Source תגובת ראש הממשלה נתניהו למדינות שהכירו במדינה פלסטינית
1 year, 5 months later
Latest
Against a Palestinian state
His opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory west of the Jordan stands and has not changed at all; he says he has been rebuffing such attempts for decades.
"ההתנגדות שלנו למדינה פלסטינית בשטח כלשהו ממערב לירדן, ההתנגדות הזאת קיימת ושרירה ולא השתנתה כהוא זה."
Official translation Our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory west of the Jordan [River], this opposition is existing, valid, and has not changed one bit.
Context: After the March 2015 election he told NBC he still wanted two states but that circumstances had changed. The Trump plan's step of applying Israeli law to parts of the West Bank was suspended in August 2020 under the normalisation agreement with the UAE. Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023; several countries recognised a State of Palestine in 2024 and 2025.
Changing the Supreme Court and the judicial system
Then
Protect court independence
The Supreme Court's independence is essential; he said he had shelved every proposal intended to harm it.
"עצמאות בית המשפט היא דבר מובנה והכרחי, והוא היה, הינו ויישאר עצמאי"
Our translation The independence of the court is an inherent and necessary thing, and it was, is and will remain independent
Source נתניהו בביקור נדיר בעליון: "אשמור על עצמאות ביהמ"ש" (nrg) (as reported by makorrishon.co.il)
10 years, 11 months later
Later
Comprehensive judicial reform
The judicial system needs a comprehensive reform, and his government will complete the legislation for it in the Knesset.
"אני משוכנע שאחרי השיח החשוב והמעמיק בוועדת החוקה אנחנו נשלים את חקיקת הרפורמה באופן שיתקן את הנדרש לתיקון, יגן בצורה מלאה על זכויות הפרט ויחזיר את האמון של הציבור במערכת המשפט, שכל כך זקוקה לרפורמה הזאת."
Official translation I am convinced that following the important and in-depth dialogue in the Knesset, Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, we will complete the reform legislation in a way that will correct what is necessary, will fully protect individual rights and restore public confidence in the judicial system, which needs this reform so much.
2 months later
Latest
Pause for broad agreement
Announcing a pause in the legislation after weeks of protest, he says reforms to the justice system are still needed and that broad agreement is a worthy goal.
"אנחנו עומדים על הצורך להביא את התיקונים הנדרשים למערכת המשפט. הסכמה רחבה זו מטרה ראויה מאין כמוה"
Our translation We insist on the need to bring the required corrections to the justice system. Broad agreement is a most worthy goal.
Source הרפורמה המשפטית: נתניהו משהה את החקיקה (וואלה) (as reported by news.walla.co.il)
Context: On 4 January 2023 his justice minister, Yariv Levin, presented the plan, which included giving the coalition control over the appointment of judges and limiting judicial review of laws. On 27 March 2023, after weeks of protests, he announced a pause in the legislation.
Itamar Ben Gvir as a minister
Then
Coalition, not minister
Ben Gvir can be part of his coalition but will not be part of the government.
"בן גביר לא יהיה חלק מהממשלה אבל הוא יהיה חלק מהקואליציה שלנו"
Our translation Ben Gvir will not be part of the government, but he will be part of our coalition
Source נתניהו: בן גביר לא יהיה חלק מהממשלה, אבל יהיה חלק מהקואליציה (כאן חדשות) (as reported by kan.org.il)
1 year, 10 months later
Later
Minister over the police
He defends his plan to make Ben Gvir the minister in charge of the police, saying Ben Gvir has changed many of his views.
“Well, first of all, his eligibility was decided by the supreme court. Secondly, he's modified a lot of his views since then.”
Context: Ben Gvir was sworn in as Minister of National Security on 29 December 2022.