A Jerusalem court has postponed next week’s hearings in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial as he undergoes prostate removal surgery on Sunday.
Netanyahu, who faces charges of fraud, embezzlement, and bribery, is accused of granting the telecom giant Bezeq favorable regulatory benefits during his tenure as communications minister and accepting luxury gifts from wealthy allies.
The embattled prime minister has dismissed the allegations as “absurd” during an initial court hearing on December 10. This trial marks the first time in Israel’s history that a sitting prime minister has been put on trial, with proceedings expected to last several more years. Netanyahu is set to testify three times a week for approximately two months.
Netanyahu’s office announced on Saturday that he would undergo surgery for an enlarged prostate, which follows a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection related to benign prostate enlargement during a test at Hadassah Hospital.
The procedure, conducted under general anesthesia, comes amid a tumultuous period for Israel, which remains engaged in an ongoing conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza. The war stems from an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
This operation is the latest in a series of health issues for the 74-year-old leader, who underwent hernia surgery in March and received a pacemaker in July 2023 after a medical emergency.
As Netanyahu continues to face both legal and medical challenges, the trial proceedings remain a focal point in Israeli politics, further complicated by the nation’s security situation and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.