Netanyahu to have hernia surgery, plans to keep up normal schedule
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled for surgery on Sunday to treat a hernia, according to his office.
The announcement said the 74-year-old leader would continue with his planned schedule, which included meeting with families of hostages and a session with his war cabinet, according to The Times of Israel.
A press conference with Netanyahu was scheduled in Jerusalem ahead of the surgery.
According to his office, doctors discovered the hernia Saturday during a routine checkup. The PM will be under full anesthesia for the surgery, and Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin will be in charge in the interim.
Netanyahu previously underwent hernia surgery in 2013.
The longtime Israeli leader has a history of hiding his health problems.
Last year, Netanyahu had surgery to implant a pacemaker in his heart. Prior to the surgery, doctors had described his heart as “completely normal” and said the PM was under “regular monitoring.”
But after the surgery doctors admitted that for years Netanyahu had battled a condition that can cause irregular heartbeats. Government critic Yossi Verter said the belated revelation showed “more than anything the culture of deceit in which Netanyahu, his ministers and advisers run the country.”
The pacemaker surgery came during a turbulent time in Israeli politics, when Netanyahu was under fire for altering the country’s judicial system.
More recently, Netanyahu has faced significant international criticism for Israel’s brutal war against Hamas in Gaza. Israeli forces have killed more than 30,000 Palestinians in the territory of 2.3 million people.
Netanyahu, however, has remained defiant throughout the conflict and his most important ally, the United States, has largely backed him.