Benjamin Netanyahu will be operated on for a hernia on Sunday March 31 in the evening. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced it the same day in a press release, specifying that the procedure would be carried out “under general anesthesia”. The exact nature of this hernia was not specified but it was diagnosed “during a routine examination on Saturday evening”, as the press release states.
Just before the operation, Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a press conference at 6:30 p.m. (French time), according to the Israeli daily Haaretz.
The Minister of Justice takes over as interim
During the anesthesia, the interim head of the country will be held by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Yariv Levin, specifies the office of the head of government. In July, the latter had already assumed this mission when Benjamin Netanyahu was hospitalized for the implantation of a pacemaker.
At 74 years old, Benjamin Netanyahu is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israeli history. However, he is facing one of the biggest crises since coming to power following Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israeli soil on October 7, to which Israel responded by launching a war in the Gaza Strip. On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered again in Jerusalem, in front of his home, to demand his resignation.
