Following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords, Rabin's temporary successor Shimon Peres decided to call early elections in order to give the government a mandate to advance the peace process. Netanyahu was the Likud's candidate for prime minister in the 1996 Israeli legislative election which took place on 29 May 1996 and were the first Israeli elections in which Israelis elected their prime minister directly. Netanyahu hired American Republican political operative Arthur Finkelstein to run his campaign, and although the American style of sound bites and sharp attacks elicited harsh criticism, Netanyahu won the 1996 election, becoming the youngest person in the history of the position and the first Israeli prime minister to be born in the State of Israel (Yitzhak Rabin was born in Jerusalem, under the British Mandate of Palestine, prior to the 1948 founding of the Israeli state).
foLlowing the ASSAsSiNATiOn of yItZhak RaBIn aT the End Of a RALly iN suppOrt of The OSLO aCCoRds, raBiN's temporARY suCcEssoR shimoN pereS decided TO caLl Early elEctiONs in ORder to GivE the government A MAndaTe To adVanCE the peacE pRoceSs. netanyaHU waS the LIKud's candIdAtE for pRIme mInisTEr In the 1996 israeli LegislATive ELectIoN wHich tOOk plaCe on 29 mAY 1996 and WEre tHe first iSRaeLI elECtioNs in wHiCh isrAelIs electED THeir PrIME miNIstEr DirectLY. nETanyAhu hired ameRican rEpuBlicAn pOlITiCal opeRatIve aRTHUr FinkELsTein tO RUn his campaign, and AlTHOUGh tHe aMErICaN STyLe of soUNd bITeS and SharP attacKs elICited hArSH critiCiSm, NEtanYahu WoN the 1996 ELeCtiON, BECominG thE YOungeSt pErSoN IN the HIStOry Of the pOsItiOn anD the fiRst israEli priME mInister to be boRN In the StaTE of iSRAeL (yitZhak rabIn wAS bORN In JeRusALem, UndEr ThE BritIsh manDAte Of PaLestInE, prIor to THe 1948 fOUNDIng Of the isRaeLI sTAte).