Editing Benjamin Netanyahu (section)

== Leader of the Opposition (2006–2009) ==
Following the withdrawal of Sharon from the Likud, Netanyahu was one of several candidates who vied for the Likud leadership.<ref name="xinh" /> His most recent attempt prior to this was in September 2005 when he had tried to hold early primaries for the position of the head of the Likud party, while the party held the office of prime minister – thus effectively pushing Ariel Sharon out of office. The party rejected this initiative. Netanyahu [[2005 Likud leadership election|retook the leadership]] on 20 December 2005, with 47% of the primary vote, to 32% for [[Silvan Shalom]] and 15% for [[Moshe Feiglin]].<ref name=xinh>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu elected as Likud party chairman |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/20/content_3944753.htm |publisher=Xinhua News Agency |date=20 December 2005 |access-date=27 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060227183818/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/20/content_3944753.htm |archive-date=27 February 2006}}</ref> In the [[2006 Israeli legislative election|March 2006 Knesset elections]], Likud took the third place behind [[Kadima]] and [[Israeli Labor Party|Labor]] and Netanyahu served as Leader of the Opposition.<ref name=poor>{{cite news |last=Marciano |first=Ilan |title=Likud stunned by collapse |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3233422,00.html |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |date=28 March 2006 |access-date=27 July 2009 |archive-date=18 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018142718/https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3233422,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 14 August 2007, Netanyahu was [[2007 Likud leadership election|reelected as chairman]] of the Likud and its candidate for the post of prime minister with 73% of the vote, against [[far-right]] candidate [[Moshe Feiglin]] and World Likud chairman [[Danny Danon]].<ref name=feig>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu wins Likud leadership |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6947176.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=15 August 2007 |access-date=11 August 2009 |archive-date=28 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728140625/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6947176.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> He opposed the [[2008 Israel–Hamas ceasefire]], like others in the Knesset opposition. Specifically, Netanyahu said: "This is not a relaxation, it's an Israeli agreement to the rearming of Hamas&nbsp;... What are we getting for this?"<ref name=wash>{{cite news |last=Mitnick |first=Joshua |title=Olmert: Truce with Hamas 'fragile' |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/20/olmert-says-truce-with-hamas-fragile/ |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=20 June 2008 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-date=24 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124115016/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/20/olmert-says-truce-with-hamas-fragile/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the first half of 2008, doctors removed a small [[colon polyp]] that proved to be benign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/171896|title=Netanyahu Undergoes Medical Examination|date=4 October 2009|publisher=[[Arutz Sheva]]|access-date=15 October 2009|archive-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303064701/https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/171896|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following [[Tzipi Livni]]'s election to head [[Kadima]] and Olmert's resignation from the post of prime minister, Netanyahu declined to join the coalition Livni was trying to form and supported new elections, which were held in February 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tran |first=Mark |title=Netanyahu calls for new Israeli elections |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jul/31/israelandthepalestinians1 |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=31 July 2008 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-date=19 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919025443/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/31/israelandthepalestinians1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu rejects Livni's call for unity government |first=Mazal |last=Mualem |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-rejects-livni-s-call-for-unity-government-1.254503 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=24 September 2008 |access-date=1 March 2013 |archive-date=24 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824232315/http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-rejects-livni-s-call-for-unity-government-1.254503 |url-status=live }}</ref> Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for prime minister in the [[2009 Israeli legislative election]] which took place on 10 February 2009, as Livni, the previous [[Acting Prime Minister of Israel|designated acting prime minister]] under the Olmert government, had been unable to form a viable governing coalition. Opinion polls showed Likud in the lead, but with as many as a third of Israeli voters undecided.<ref>{{cite news |first=Marie |last=Colvin |title=Netanyahu stokes fears to take poll lead |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5683360.ece |work=[[The Sunday Times]] |location=London |date=8 February 2009 |access-date=8 February 2009 |archive-date=14 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214205555/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5683360.ece |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the election itself, Likud won the second highest number of seats, Livni's party having outnumbered the Likud by one seat. A possible explanation for Likud's relatively poor showing is that some Likud supporters defected to [[Avigdor Lieberman]]'s [[Yisrael Beiteinu]] party. Netanyahu, however, claimed victory on the basis that right-wing parties won the majority of the vote, and on 20 February 2009, Netanyahu was designated by Israeli President [[Shimon Peres]] to succeed Ehud Olmert as prime minister, and began his negotiations to form a coalition government.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kershner |first=Isabel |date=20 February 2009 |title=Netanyahu to Form New Israel Government |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/world/middleeast/21israel.html |access-date=17 January 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Despite right wing parties winning a majority of 65 seats in the [[Knesset]], Netanyahu preferred a broader centrist coalition and turned to his Kadima rivals, chaired by Tzipi Livni, to join his government. This time it was Livni's turn to decline to join, with a difference of opinion on how to pursue the peace process being the stumbling block. Netanyahu did manage to entice a smaller rival, the Labour party, chaired by Ehud Barak, to join his government, giving him a certain amount of centrist tone. Netanyahu presented his cabinet for a Knesset "Vote of Confidence" on 31 March 2009. The 32nd Government was approved that day by a majority of 69 lawmakers to 45 (with five abstaining) and the members were sworn in.<ref name="swornh">{{cite news |date=31 March 2009 |title=Netanyahu sworn in as Israel's prime minister |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-sworn-in-as-israel-s-prime-minister-1.273265 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022143957/http://www.haaretz.com/news/netanyahu-sworn-in-as-israel-s-prime-minister-1.273265 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |access-date=10 March 2013 |newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref><ref name="swornr">{{cite news |last=Heller |first=Jeffrey |date=31 March 2009 |title=Netanyahu sworn in as Israeli prime minister |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-idUSTRE52U4VH20090331 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924141329/http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/03/31/us-israel-idUSTRE52U4VH20090331 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=10 March 2013 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref>