Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu The January 1999 Likud leadership election was held on 25 January 1999[1] to elect the leader of the Likud party.

[2] The vote took part ahead of the 1999 Israeli general election, held after Netanyahu's governing coalition collapsed.

[3] There had been several defections from the party leading up to the leadership race, including Benny Begin and Dan Meridor, who both defected to lead their own parties in the 1999 general election.

Arens ended six years of political retirement to challenge Netanyahu for the leadership of Likud.

[2] The leadership election was open to the party's general membership, which, at the time, numbered at 168,127.