Netanyahu’s prostate surgery a success as he faces crises on multiple fronts
The procedure comes as the 75-year-old manages multiple crises, including the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and his own trial for alleged corruption.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery, an Israeli hospital said on Sunday, a procedure that comes as he manages multiple crises, including the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and his own trial for alleged corruption.
Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Centre said his prostate was removed late Sunday. Doctors said he was awake and recovering after the surgery on Sunday night.
Mr Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure.
Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week and Mr Netanyahu is expected to remain in hospital for several days.
The 75-year-old is among a cohort of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, 82, and President-elect Donald Trump, 78, whose health and physical fitness are under deep scrutiny both at home and abroad because of their advanced age and the effect that could have on their leadership.
Mr Netanyahu, who has had a string of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a fully healthy, energetic leader.
During his trial this month he boasted about working 18-hour days, even if those long hours are accompanied by a cigar. But, as Israel’s longest-serving leader, such a gruelling workload over a total of 17 years in power could also take a toll on his wellbeing.
There has already been a fallout from the operation: Mr Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, said in a letter to the court that the Israeli prime minister would be fully sedated for the procedure and would be in hospital for “a number of days”, asking for his three days of evidence this week to be cancelled. The court agreed.
An acting prime minister will take over while Mr Netanyahu undergoes the treatment, according to an official, although it was not immediately clear who will step in.
With so much at stake in the turbulent region, Mr Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world.
According to the leader’s office, he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Wednesday stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate. The infection was treated successfully with antibiotics but Sunday’s procedure will remove the gland.
Complications from prostate enlargement are common in men in their 70s and 80s, Dr Shay Golan, head of the oncology urology service at Israel’s Rabin Medical Centre, told Israeli Army Radio.
He said an enlarged prostate can prevent proper emptying of the bladder, leading to a build-up of urine that can then lead to an infection or other complications. After medicinal treatment, doctors can recommend a procedure to remove the prostate to prevent future blockages, he said.
In Mr Netanyahu’s case, because the prostate is not cancerous, Dr Golan said doctors will probably perform endoscopic surgery, which is carried out by inserting small instruments into a body cavity, rather than making any surgical cuts in the abdomen.
The procedure lasts about an hour, Dr Golan said, and recovery is quick.
He added that, apart from the use of a catheter for one to three days after the procedure, patients can return to normal activity without any significant limitations.
Mr Netanyahu insists he is in excellent health and his office has worked to craft a public image that backs that up. It has released footage of him touring war zones in full protective gear flanked by military officers, or meeting defence officials on windswept hilltops in youthful dark sunglasses and puffer jackets.
But that image was shattered last year when his doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, a problem that he had apparently long known about but concealed from the public.
A week after a fainting spell, he was urgently fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. Only then did staff at the Sheba Medical Centre reveal that he has experienced a condition that can cause irregular heartbeats for years.
That revelation came at a time when Mr Netanyahu was dealing with massive anti-government protests. The news of his chronic heart problem stoked further anger and distrust at a time of extreme political polarisation in Israel.
Last year, Mr Netanyahu was rushed to hospital for what doctors suggested dehydration, staying in overnight and prompting his weekly Cabinet meeting to be delayed.
Earlier this year, he underwent hernia surgery, during which he was under full anaesthesia and unconscious. His close confidant, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, served as acting prime minister during the operation.
As Israel’s leader, Mr Netanyahu is at the centre of major global events that are shifting the Middle East. With the dizzying pace of the past 14 months, being incapacitated for even a few hours can be risky in the current regional maelstrom.
He will be in hospital at a time when international mediators are pushing Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in Gaza as violence there rages on and fighting between Israel and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies.
The health issue also shines a new light on Mr Netanyahu’s age. Prostate issues are common and in many cases easily treatable. But they are prominent, especially among older men.
The procedure puts a dent in his image of vigour at a time when he would want to project strength more than ever, both to an Israeli audience navigating constant threats as well as to Israel’s enemies seeking to expose Israel’s weaknesses.
