PM to be hospitalized for days after prostate surgery on Sunday, court cancels hearings
Netanyahu’s lawyers give details of scheduled procedure to Jerusalem District Court in request to put off his scheduled testimony in criminal trial; Levin to fill in during surgery
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be put under full anesthetic for his operation Sunday to remove his prostate and will remain in the hospital for “several days” following the surgery, his defense lawyer told the Jerusalem District Court on Sunday.
The details were relayed to the court by Amit Hadad, an attorney representing the prime minister in his criminal trial, in a request to have the trial hearings in which Netanyahu was scheduled to give testimony this week canceled.
The court quickly acceded to the request, adding that the hearings are “expected to resume next week, on Monday, January 6,” and wished the prime minister a complete recovery.
During the surgery, Justice Minister Yariv Levin was set to fill in temporarily as acting premier, according to Hebrew-language media. Defense Minister Israel Katz would be authorized to convene the National Security Cabinet if needed.
“Last Wednesday the prime minister underwent a test at the Hadassah hospital that revealed an urinary tract infection stemming from a benign enlargement of the prostate,” Hadad told the court, saying that Netanyahu would undergo an operation under full anesthetic to treat the problem.
Netanyahu on Sunday issued a video from the Prime Minister’s Office saying he was heading from the day’s cabinet meeting to the hospital for surgery. He thanked people for sending him good wishes for a speedy recovery.
מלוכדים News: "אני הולך לבית החולים כדי לעבור ניתוח" • רה"מ נתניהו מאחל חנוכה שמח רגע לפני שנכנס לניתוח pic.twitter.com/425J2Tff1V
— ישראלי News (@Israeli1News) December 29, 2024
On Saturday, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that he would be having his prostate removed.
“The prime minister is expected to remain in hospital for several days,” Hadad said in his letter, adding, “At this stage, the court is requested to cancel the hearings scheduled for this week.”
Hadad added that he would “update the court going forward.”
He also noted that the prosecution has already agreed to cancel the hearings this week.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, patients who undergo a prostatectomy usually leave hospital after one to two days, but “likely” are discharged with a catheter that is required for 7 to ten days after surgery.
The website recommends patients resume activity “slowly over time,” and says patients can be back to their “usual routine in about 4 to 6 weeks.”
Netanyahu began his testimony as the first witness for the defense in his trial on December 10 and has testified in court for six days so far.
He is charged with several counts of fraud and breach of trust for his dealings with business tycoons and newspaper publishers, as well as one count of bribery for allegedly entering into an illegal quid pro quo agreement with Shaul Elovitch, the owner of the Walla news website and the Bezeq telecommunications giant, seeking better coverage on the site in exchange for lucrative regulatory approvals. He denies wrongdoing and has said the charges were fabricated by the state prosecution and police investigators in an attempted political coup.
The Times of Israel Community.