Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Receives Pacemaker Ahead of Controversial Judicial Reform Vote
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent surgery to receive a pacemaker early Sunday morning, just before the Knesset is set to vote on a controversial judicial reform bill. The procedure took place at Tel Hashomer Hospital, where the prime minister was sedated during the surgery.
In Netanyahu’s absence, Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin will take his place, according to a statement from his office. The surgery was prompted by a warning from a heart monitor that Netanyahu had “transient heart block,” a condition where the electrical signal controlling the heartbeat is partially or completely blocked.
In a video statement, Eyal Nof, head of Invasive Electrophysiology Service at the Sheba Medical Center explained that Netanyahu had been admitted urgently to the hospital, where the pacemaker was successfully implanted. The prime minister is reported to be feeling well after the procedure.
Transient heart block can cause symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, tiredness, and shortness of breath. The Cleveland Clinic, a leading American medical center, states that pacemaker implantation is a common treatment for this condition.
Netanyahu was initially admitted to Sheba Medical Center last week due to dehydration. During that hospitalization, he was also fitted with a subcutaneous heart monitor. One of the doctors at the medical center revealed that Netanyahu had fainted prior to his previous hospital admission.
The prime minister, 73, announced on Twitter that he would be fitted with a pacemaker, a device that sends electrical pulses to the heart. In a video message, he assured the public that he felt great but listened to his doctors’ advice.
Netanyahu expects to be discharged from the hospital and ready to attend the Knesset for the judicial reform vote. The proposed legislation seeks to eliminate the Supreme Court’s power to declare government decisions “unreasonable,” which has sparked widespread protests in Israel in recent weeks.
As the prime minister recovers from the pacemaker implantation, Minister of Justice Levin will temporarily assume his duties. The outcome of the controversial judicial reform vote will likely have significant implications for the balance of power in Israel’s government.