Prime Minister Netanyahu to have prostate removal surgery

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will undergo surgery to remove his prostate on Sunday after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection last week. 

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a statement on Saturday night regarding the procedure. 

“Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent an examination at Hadassah Hospital in the course of which was discovered a urinary tract infection stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate,” the statement read. “Since then, for several days, the Prime Minister has been treated with antibiotics which have successfully dealt with the infection. As a result, Prime Minister Netanyahu will undergo treatment tomorrow to remove his prostate. Full details will be issued separately.” 

While the statement noted that Netanyahu was examined at Hadassah on Wednesday, no previous statements or notifications regarding his health had been issued before Saturday’s announcement. 

The PMO also stated that Sunday’s cabinet meeting would take place as planned, however, it is possible that Netanyahu’s trial testimony in his criminal cases could be delayed. 

The prime minister’s condition, described as benign prostate enlargement, or benign prostatic hypertrophy, is a common condition for aging men. 

It can lead to urinary tract infections and difficulty urinating. It occurs in about 30% of men over the age of 65 but can occur more frequently among men with a history of heart problems. 

In March of this year, the prime minister underwent surgery with full anesthesia for the treatment of a hernia. He also had a hernia repair surgery in 2013.

Last year, Netanyahu had surgery to install a pacemaker after suffering a “transient heart block.” That surgery came a week after he was hospitalized for what his office said was dehydration. It was during that hospitalization that doctors implanted a heart monitoring device, which further led to the recommendation of a pacemaker placement. 

The repeated health issues have led some Israelis to question the state of Netanyahu’s health, and whether important details have been hidden from the public. 

While government protocols require the prime minister to release an annual health report, Netanyahu did not release any reports between 2016 and 2023. He did release a medical report in January stating that he was in a “completely normal state of health.” 

During his previous surgeries, Netanyahu handed temporary control of the government to Justice Minister Yariv Levin. The PMO statement did not say whether he would do so again in this instance.