Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent successful prostate surgery on Sunday, delaying his public corruption trial amid Israel’s fierce war with Hamas.
Netanyahu, 75, had his prostate removed after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. It is the third surgery he’s undergone in the past two years.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin served as acting prime minister while Netanyahu was under anesthesia. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for a few days, but he will be in charge during that time.
Despite multiple recent hospitalizations, Netanyahu has attempted to project himself as the picture of health. While testifying at his trial last week, he boasted about smoking cigars while working 18-hour days during the war.
Netanyahu’s condition, an enlarged prostate, is relatively common in men in their 70s and 80s. However, it was also his third operation since July 2023.
That month, Netanyahu underwent emergency heart surgery to have a pacemaker implanted. For years before the surgery, Netanyahu had not spoken about an irregular heartbeat.
And in March 2024, Netanyahu had surgery to treat an unspecified hernia. He also had hernia surgery in 2013.
Netanyahu has faced intense criticism in Israel and worldwide for his handling of the war against Hamas and the country’s lack of preparedness for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack from Gaza. He is also facing criminal charges of fraud and corruption for allegedly accepting a series of bribes during his lengthy leadership of Israel.
Judges overseeing the case accepted a request from Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, to delay three scheduled days of testimony this week to allow the prime minister to recover from surgery.
With News Wire Services
