JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 73, appeared in a video after undergoing emergency pacemaker surgery at a hospital near Tel Aviv. Looking sharp in a dark suit, he flashed a confident grin and enthusiastically stated that he felt “great, as you can see.”
However, this carefully staged photo-op did little to assuage the concerns of the Israeli public, who were taken aback by the revelation that their longest-serving prime minister had been concealing a known heart problem. This disclosure sharply contrasted with the image of a robust and energetic leader that Netanyahu had tirelessly projected.
A week after a fainting incident, Netanyahu underwent an urgent procedure to have a pacemaker implanted, aimed at regulating his heartbeat. Only then did the medical staff at Sheba Medical Center disclose on Sunday night that Netanyahu had been dealing with a condition capable of causing irregular heartbeats for several years.
Until Sunday, the cardiologists had consistently downplayed any concerns about the Prime Minister’s health, attributing his condition to dehydration and assuring the public that his heartbeat was “completely normal.”
The timing of the sudden disclosure about Netanyahu’s chronic heart problem couldn’t have been worse. It emerged amidst massive protests against his controversial plan to limit the judiciary’s power, with governing coalition legislators already passing a significant bill into law on Monday.
The revelation about his health, presented in a somewhat indirect manner, fueled even more anger and mistrust during a time when Israel was grappling with intense political divisions.
Yossi Verter, a political writer for Haaretz, a left-leaning daily in Israel, characterized the situation as a farcical episode, describing it as a “factory of lies” surrounding Netanyahu’s hospitalization. He pointed out that this health crisis highlighted the prevalent culture of deceit within the Prime Minister’s administration, with a pattern of dishonesty extending to his ministers and advisors in running the country.
Such attempts to conceal health issues are not uncommon among strongmen and leaders worldwide, as they fear that illnesses could undermine the carefully cultivated image of invincibility they project to their citizens.
Indeed, misrepresentations of leaders’ health are not limited to authoritarian regimes, as democratic countries have also been guilty of this practice.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, provided a highly sanitized version of his own health during his tenure. Prior to becoming president, he never released comprehensive details of his medical history. Additionally, when he tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020, the information provided was limited. Trump announced his diagnosis via a tweet, and it was later revealed in a book by his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, that the positive test had occurred days before the announcement. Despite the diagnosis, Trump continued with public events and private meetings, though he denied Meadows’ claim.
During Trump’s COVID-19 hospitalization, conflicting reports on his health emerged. While his doctor presented an optimistic view of his condition, Meadows later contradicted this, revealing that Trump’s health was, in fact, much more serious. Officials involved in his care have since disclosed that he came very close to potentially dying from the virus.
In Israel, the emergency pacemaker surgery added another twist to Netanyahu’s complex situation. He was already facing multiple charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, a case that had caused voter fatigue with five elections in four years.
Critics have long accused Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, of being out of touch with ordinary Israelis. Reports emerged that his pacemaker cost significantly more than a typical model and was not covered by health insurance, which further fueled these accusations.
What concerns critics the most is the inconsistent assessments of Netanyahu’s health by the hospital and a general lack of transparency within the government. Such a lack of transparency can erode public trust and raise doubts about the credibility of leaders and their administrations.
“You can’t ask for public trust if you don’t tell the public the whole picture, and it’s especially important when you talk about a leader’s medical condition,” emphasized Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem-based think tank.
The saga of Netanyahu’s health began last week when he spent a scorching day on a boat in the Sea of Galilee with his family. On Saturday, July 15, he was admitted to Sheba hospital after experiencing mild dizziness.
The following day, he underwent heart tests, and the prime minister’s office assured the public that all results came back clear. Dr. Amit Segev, the director of the hospital’s cardiology unit, confidently stated that Netanyahu’s heart was “completely normal” without any indication to the contrary.
However, a week later, last Saturday, Netanyahu was suddenly rushed to the hospital for an emergency pacemaker surgery.
In a video statement, Dr. Eyal Nof explained that the heart monitor had issued an alert late Saturday, detecting a condition called heart block. This condition disrupts the electrical signals responsible for triggering a heartbeat, resulting in difficulties reaching the heart’s pumping chambers at the bottom. Symptoms can include slow heartbeats, skipped beats, and fainting. While a pacemaker typically controls this disorder, untreated cases can lead to cardiac arrest.
The delayed acknowledgment of Netanyahu’s medical condition by the doctors triggered a wave of intense public criticism. Sheba Medical Center declined to comment on the conflicting messages, and a person familiar with Netanyahu’s treatment, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization, revealed that the hospital had been under strict orders not to disclose his condition last week.
The situation drew sharp condemnation from Eliad Shraga, Chairman of the Movement for Quality Governance in Israel, a civil society group, who characterized the doctors’ actions as a disaster, accusing them of knowing about Netanyahu’s condition and lying to the public. The revelation raised concerns about whether the Prime Minister, if not in proper health, was fit to lead the nation, particularly during such a critical crisis.
Netanyahu, for his part, has not made further comments on his condition beyond the two upbeat videos released from the hospital, where he claimed to feel excellent and ready to continue his duties as usual.
Throughout his 15 years in power, Netanyahu had meticulously cultivated an image of strength and capability, positioning himself as the only leader capable of guiding the country. His good health had been unquestioned until now, with the long life of his father, Benzion, who lived to 102, supporting his family’s claims of robust health and vitality.
However, the news of his recent ailments could potentially undermine the personal charisma that has played a crucial role in his political longevity, according to experts. There’s a sense that Netanyahu perceives himself as above the law and even above the limitations of nature, as remarked by Altshuler. This attitude of invincibility might now be put to the test as questions arise about his ability to continue leading the nation in the midst of a complex political landscape.
Following his release from the hospital, Netanyahu’s appearance during the legislative sessions on Monday was shaky at times, with sunken eyes, yet he persisted in carrying out his duties.
Although Israeli government protocol mandates that prime ministers release annual medical reports, Netanyahu has not published one since 2016. The last report described his lab tests as “completely normal” and his overall health as “excellent,” with a mention of a polyp removal from his large intestine. In 2018, he was briefly hospitalized due to a fever.
Despite the protocol being legally unenforceable, there have been few recorded health concerns regarding Netanyahu. However, last October, during his election campaign, he was urgently taken to the hospital for examination after experiencing chest pains. The following morning, he went jogging in a park, seemingly trying to project physical fitness for the cameras.
As the vote on the first major law to overhaul Israel’s justice system loomed, protesters crowded the Israeli parliament building. Amid the deafening chants of “De-mo-cra-tia!” (Hebrew for democracy), Eliad Shraga, the advocate for good governance, had to raise his voice to be heard. He stressed the critical importance of transparency in leadership, emphasizing that without it, everything is put at risk.
With concerns about the Prime Minister’s health now in the spotlight, and coupled with the ongoing political turmoil in the country, the need for transparency and clear communication from the highest level of government has become all the more significant.