JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to undergo
prostate removal surgery on Sunday, his office confirmed in a statement.
The statement on Saturday noted that on Wednesday, Netanyahu
underwent a test at Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem, where a urinary tract
infection was detected, resulting from a benign prostate enlargement, Xinhua
news agency reported.
The Israeli Prime Minister has since received antibiotic
treatment, which has resolved the infection.
Despite the upcoming surgery, the Prime Minister's office
said the Israeli Cabinet's weekly meeting will proceed as scheduled on Sunday.
Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery in
March under general anaesthesia, during which Israel's Deputy Prime Minister
and Justice Minister, Yariv Levin, temporarily assumed the role of Prime
Minister.
In July 2023, Netanyahu was hospitalised for a pacemaker
implant after suffering from arrhythmia, just one week after experiencing
dehydration.
The incident led to considerable speculation among many in
Israel as to the health of the Prime Minister and to what degree details had
been hidden from the public.
A medical report released in January said Netanyahu was in a
"completely normal state of health," that his pacemaker was working
correctly and that there was no evidence of heart arrhythmia or any other
problematic conditions.
Despite protocols requiring Prime Ministers to release an
annual health report, Netanyahu did not release one between 2016 and late 2023.
He could not be legally forced to share his health
information as these protocols, developed by the PMO, were not enshrined in
law.
The latest health issue comes the same week that Israel
unleashed a torrent of airstrikes on parts of Yemen controlled by the Houthis
in retaliation for a barrage of missile attacks by the Iranian-backed group.
After the Israeli military's strikes, which included an attack on the
international airport in Sana, the Houthis have continued to fire rockets at
Israel.
Israel has been embroiled in a conflict on multiple fronts
since the Hamas-led terror attack on October 7, 2023, fighting the Palestinian
group in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as striking targets in Syria
and trading fire with Iran.
