Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent successful surgery on Sunday to have his prostate removed, hospital officials said, a procedure that came as he manages multiple crises including the war in Gaza and his trial for alleged corruption.
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Netanyahu, who has had a series of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a healthy, energetic leader. During his trial this month, he boasted about working 18-hour days, accompanied by a cigar. But as Israel’s longest-serving leader, such a gruelling workload over a total of 17 years in power could take a toll on his well-being.
Netanyahu, 75, is among older world leaders including US President Joe Biden, 82, president-elect Donald Trump, 78, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 79, and Pope Francis, 88, who have come under scrutiny for their age and health issues.
Netanyahu’s latest condition is common in older men, but the procedure has had some fallout. The judges overseeing his trial accepted a request from his lawyer on Sunday to call off three days of testimony scheduled this week. The lawyer, Amit Hadad, had argued that Netanyahu would be fully sedated for the procedure and hospitalised for “a number of days”.
Dr Ofer Gofrit, head of the urology department at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center, said in a video statement late on Sunday that the procedure had gone well and “there was no fear” of cancer or malignancy. “We only hope for the best,” he said.
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In a statement, Netanyahu thanked his doctors. His office said he was “fully alert” and was taken to an underground recovery unit fortified against potential missile attacks. Netanyahu was expected to remain in hospital for several days of observation.