Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced early Sunday that he underwent an emergency procedure to receive a pacemaker, but he remains committed to his controversial judicial overhaul plan. This comes after he was briefly hospitalized last week for what was initially reported as dehydration.
In a video statement released at 2 a.m., Netanyahu explained that he had been fitted with a monitoring device after his previous hospitalization, and the alarm on the device went off on Saturday night, indicating the need for an immediate pacemaker.
Despite needing the procedure, Netanyahu assured the public that he feels excellent but is following the advice of his doctors. As a result of the surgery, Netanyahu will be placed under sedation, with Justice Minister Yariv Levin serving as his stand-in.
The announcement of the prime minister’s condition comes at a time when Israel is facing widespread protests over his judicial overhaul plan. Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets on Saturday night to voice their opposition ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote on Monday. Justice Minister Yariv Levin is the mastermind behind the overhaul plan.
Netanyahu is being treated at Israel’s Sheba Hospital, the same facility where he was treated last week. He expects to be released on Sunday and plans to head directly to the Knesset for the scheduled vote on his overhaul. He also expressed hope for reaching an agreement with his opponents.
A pacemaker is used to correct a slow heartbeat or treat heart failure by sending electrical pulses to the heart, maintaining a normal rhythm and ensuring appropriate blood flow throughout the body.
