Unfortunately in the promise lies the problem - it depends on the promiser's goodwill. This is why there's a need for laws. So you don't rely on the promise of a politician. After all, it's a contradictory nature; Limited terms, and even Democracy entirely, were created because you can't trust people in power for long. Power corrupts. It's quite possible he really meant that promise at the time (אשרי המאמין) but then he slipped when the time came.

I can't really blame the current generation of politicians. The system molds them to be what they are today. It rewards them to act like that, and punishes them when they don't. I can only blame the first generation of politicians who allowed legal voids to exist and be exploited, and the people who won't demand a change.

He served less than one full term.

In the meantime the political map has changed and no one should hold him to what he said 20 years ago.

Some points to consider:
1. Netanyahu doesn't admit to making mistakes
2. That was in 1997 - so what? Politicians always find ways to go back on what they said.
3. He said that before Sarah told him not to say it again.

for himself the right to be smarter today than he was yesterday. PM Netanyahu has the same right. King Solomon put it another way. He said in Proverbs to do justice and judgment. That means to come to opinions and conclusions that are reasonable and just BUT SUBJECT TO CHANGE by comparing and discerning the facts. That is what PM Netanyahu does and he is to be lauded for that.

he is also not King David or Solomon, perhaps he's King Saul...and by now for shure he's forgotten how to slay Amalek! So nope there is nothing to be thankful for regarding Prime Minister Mr. Netanyahu's long stay in office.
after all Prime Minister Mr. Netanyahu aka Mr. Security is responsible for:
1. releasing the largest number of terrorist with blood on their hands from jail. (including Sheik Ahmad Yassin head of Hamas)
2. leaving our dead soldiers and alive citizens to rot in Gaza without making any effort to return them home.
3. cutting a deal with Turkey which not only legitimizes terrorist and terrorism it also pays them good money for their behavior!
There is nothing to be thankful for in his actions...this latest deal of his is WORSE than OSLO ACCORDS