Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent surgery to have a pacemaker fitted on Sunday, just before the Knesset is set to vote on a controversial judicial reform bill, according to a statement from his office. The procedure took place at Tel Hashomer Hospital, with the prime minister being sedated during the surgery. In his absence, Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin will take his place.
The surgery was prompted by a warning from a heart monitor that Netanyahu had experienced “transient heart block,” according to Eyal Nof, head of Invasive Electrophysiology Service at the Sheba Medical Center. He was urgently admitted to the medical center, where the pacemaker was successfully implanted. The prime minister is said to be feeling well following the operation.
Transient heart block occurs when the electrical signal that controls the heartbeat is partially or completely blocked, resulting in a slow or irregular heartbeat. Symptoms can include dizziness, fainting, tiredness, and shortness of breath. Pacemaker implantation is a common treatment for this condition.
Netanyahu had been admitted to Sheba Medical Center a week prior, initially for dehydration but also to have a subcutaneous heart monitor fitted. At the time, his office stated that he had been experiencing dizziness. However, it was revealed that he had actually fainted before his previous hospital admission.
The prime minister had announced on Twitter that he would be fitted with a pacemaker, stating that a monitoring device had indicated the need for the procedure. He expressed confidence in his doctors and expected to be discharged from the hospital in time for the Knesset vote.
The Knesset is scheduled to vote on a bill that would limit the power of the Supreme Court to declare government decisions “unreasonable.” This has sparked widespread protests in Israel in recent weeks, as it would remove one of the few checks on the government in a country without a written Constitution.
How could Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent pacemaker surgery impact his ability to navigate the contentious judicial reform bill currently being debated by the Knesset?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had surgery to have a pacemaker fitted on Sunday. This significant procedure took place just before the Knesset is scheduled to vote on a contentious judicial reform bill.
