Editing Benjamin Netanyahu (section)

===Election defeat===
After being defeated by [[Ehud Barak]] in the [[1999 Israeli prime ministerial election]], Netanyahu temporarily retired from politics.<ref name=bio>{{cite news |title=Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3064466,00.html |publisher=[[Ynetnews]] |date=28 March 2005 |access-date=5 August 2009 |archive-date=29 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091129090949/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3064466,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He subsequently served as a senior consultant with Israeli communications equipment manufacturer [[BATM Advanced Communications]] for two years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu Now High-Tech Consultant |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-aug-03-mn-62127-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=3 August 1999 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=20 September 2012 |archive-date=4 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004232838/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/aug/03/news/mn-62127 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Freund |first=Oren |script-title=he:חברת העבר של בנימין נתניהו נרשמה למסחר בבורסה בת"א |url=http://www.themarker.com/markets/1.1826447 |newspaper=[[TheMarker]] |date=19 September 2012 |language=He |trans-title=Past company of Benjamin Netanyahu listed for trade on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange |access-date=16 March 2010 |archive-date=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922091810/http://www.themarker.com/markets/1.1826447 |url-status=live }}</ref>

With the fall of the Barak government in late 2000, Netanyahu expressed his desire to return to politics. By law, Barak's resignation was supposed to lead to elections for the prime minister position only. Netanyahu insisted that general elections should be held, claiming that otherwise it would be impossible to have a stable government. Netanyahu decided eventually not to run for the prime minister position, a move which facilitated the surprising rise to power of [[Ariel Sharon]], who at the time was considered less popular than Netanyahu. In 2002, after the [[Israeli Labor Party]] left the coalition and vacated the position of foreign minister, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Netanyahu as foreign minister.<ref name="netanyahu" /> Netanyahu challenged Sharon for the leadership of the Likud party in the [[2002 Likud leadership election]], but failed to oust him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sharon Beats Netanyahu in Likud Primary |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/sharon-beats-netanyahu-in-likud-primary |work=Fox News Channel |date=28 November 2002 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828161003/http://foxnews.com/story/0,2933,71685,00.html |archive-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On 9 September 2002, a scheduled speech by Netanyahu at [[Concordia University (Quebec)|Concordia University]] in Montreal, Quebec, Canada [[Anti-Netanyahu riot at Concordia University|was canceled]] after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed security and smashed through a glass window. Netanyahu was not present at the protest, having remained at his hotel throughout the duration. He later accused the activists of supporting terrorism and "mad zealotry".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cautbulletin.ca/en_article.asp?ArticleID=1405 |title=Concordia University Imposes Ban on Middle East Events |publisher=Canadian Association of University Teachers |access-date=4 March 2013 |archive-date=4 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004221225/http://www.cautbulletin.ca/en_article.asp?ArticleID=1405 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Weeks later on 1 October 2002 around 200 protesters met Netanyahu outside his [[Heinz Hall]] appearance in [[Pittsburgh]] although [[Pittsburgh Police]], Israeli security and a Pittsburgh [[SWAT]] unit allowed his speeches to continue downtown at the hall and the [[Duquesne Club]] as well as suburban [[Robert Morris University]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Netanyahu says U.S. should topple Saddam |first1=Steve |last1=Levin |first2=Dennis |last2=Roddy |first3=Bill |last3=Schackner |first4=Nate |last4=Guidry |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/World/20021002netanyahu2.asp |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=2 October 2002 |access-date=1 March 2013 |archive-date=14 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114054149/http://old.post-gazette.com/World/20021002netanyahu2.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 12 September 2002, Netanyahu testified (under oath as a private citizen) before the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] [[Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]] regarding the nuclear threat posed by the Iraqi régime: "There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking and is working and is advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons – no question whatsoever", he said. "And there is no question that once he acquires it, history shifts immediately."<ref>{{cite news |title=Iraq 2002, Iran 2012: Compare and contrast Netanyahu's speeches |url=http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/diplomania/iraq-2002-iran-2012-compare-and-contrast-netanyahu-s-speeches-1.468213 |newspaper=Haaretz |access-date=18 November 2013 |archive-date=25 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225040705/http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/diplomania/iraq-2002-iran-2012-compare-and-contrast-netanyahu-s-speeches-1.468213 |url-status=live }}</ref> In his testimony, Netanyahu also said, "If you take out Saddam, Saddam's regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/world/middleeast/kerry-reminds-congress-netanyahu-advised-us-to-invade-iraq.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227204214/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/world/middleeast/kerry-reminds-congress-netanyahu-advised-us-to-invade-iraq.html |archive-date=27 February 2015 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Kerry Reminds Congress Netanyahu Advised U.S. to Invade Iraq|date=25 February 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=9 May 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>