Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on December 9, 2024.
Maya Areruzo | via Reuters
israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu His office said he will undergo surgery to remove his prostate on Sunday, coming as he juggles multiple crises at once, including the ongoing war in Gaza and his own trial for alleged corruption.
Netanyahu, 75, is among a group of older world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, and President-elect Donald Trump, 78, who have struggled with their health and fitness. His advanced age has attracted close attention at home and abroad.
Netanyahu, who has suffered a series of health problems in recent years, has gone to great lengths to project his public image as a completely healthy and dynamic leader. At his trial this month, he boasted about working 18-hour days and smoking a cigar during those long hours. But as Israel’s longest-serving leader, such a heavy workload during his 17 years in power may also take a toll on his health.
The surgery is already having an impact: Netanyahu’s lawyer Amit Haddad said in a letter to the court that the Israeli prime minister will be fully sedated during the procedure and will be hospitalized for “a few days,” and asked that his three-day testimony week be canceled. The court agreed.
Netanyahu will be replaced as prime minister by an acting prime minister while he undergoes the process, according to an official familiar with the arrangements, but it is unclear who will step in. The details behind the program.
With so much at stake in the volatile region, Netanyahu’s wartime health has drawn concern among Israelis and the world.
Prostate problems are common in older men
The Israeli leader was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Wednesday caused by a benign enlargement of the prostate, according to Netanyahu’s office. Antibiotics successfully treated the infection, but surgery on Sunday will remove his prostate.
Dr. Shay Golan, head of the urology oncology service at Rabin Medical Center in Israel, told Israel Army Radio that complications from prostate enlargement are common in men in their 70s and 80s. Golan spoke generally about the surgical procedure and was not involved in Netanyahu’s care or treatment.
Prostate hypertrophy can prevent the bladder from emptying properly, causing urine to accumulate, which can lead to infection or other complications, he said. After medication, doctors can recommend surgery to remove the prostate to prevent future blockages, Golan said.
Golan said that in Netanyahu’s case, because the prostate is not cancerous, doctors may perform endoscopic surgery, inserting small instruments into the body cavity, rather than making any surgical incisions in the abdomen to reach the prostate.
The surgery lasted about an hour and recovery was quick, Golan said. Golan also said patients can return to normal activities without any significant restrictions, other than using a catheter one to three days after surgery.
Netanyahu has health problems, including heart disease
Netanyahu insists he is in good health and his office has worked to cultivate a public image that supports that. It released videos showing him in full protective gear, touring war zones accompanied by gruff military officers, or meeting defense officials on windswept mountaintops in youthful dark sunglasses and down jackets.
But that image was shattered last year when Netanyahu’s doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, a problem he had apparently known about for a long time but had hidden from the public.
A week after collapsing, Netanyahu was urgently fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. It was only then that staff at the Sheba Medical Center revealed that Netanyahu had suffered for years from a disease that could cause an irregular heartbeat.
The revelation comes as Netanyahu grapples with massive anti-government protests. The news about chronic heart disease further stoked anger and distrust at a time of extreme polarization in Israeli politics.
Last year, Netanyahu was taken to hospital for what doctors said may be dehydration and stayed overnight, causing a weekly Cabinet meeting to be postponed.
Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery, during which he was placed under full anesthesia and in a coma. His close friend, Attorney General Yariv Levin, served as acting prime minister during the operation.
The surgery comes at a turbulent time for the region
As Israel’s leader, Netanyahu is at the center of major global events that are transforming the Middle East. The pace of the past 14 months has been dizzying, and in the current regional maelstrom, even a few hours of incapacity could be risky.
Netanyahu’s hospitalization comes as international mediators push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza amid ongoing violence and intensifying fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The health issues also cast new light on Netanyahu’s age. Prostate problems are common and in many cases easily treated. But they are especially prominent in older men.
The process undercuts Netanyahu’s dynamic image at a time when he wants more than ever to project strength, both to an Israeli audience that faces constant threats and to Israel’s enemies who want to expose Israel’s vulnerabilities.
