Israeli Prime Minister Discharged from Hospital to Participate in Crucial Tax Bill Vote
Click to start listening
Jerusalem, Jan 1 (NationPress) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was discharged from the hospital to participate in a parliamentary vote on a government tax bill that could potentially fail to pass.
Medical professionals at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem recommended that Netanyahu remain hospitalized to ensure a complete recovery from his prostate surgery carried out on Sunday night; however, he opted to leave the hospital ahead of schedule.
A live broadcast from the Knesset TV channel illustrated that Netanyahu, looking pale and fatigued, arrived at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, accompanied by his personal physician, Tzvika Berkowitz, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The vote, which Netanyahu's coalition was struggling to secure a majority for just hours prior to the year-end deadline, was anticipated to occur later on Tuesday.
The "Trapped Profits Law" aims to enhance national revenue through corporate taxes. Two crucial coalition partners -- Otzma Yehudit, an ultranationalist party, and Agudat Yisrael, an ultra-Orthodox party -- declared they would oppose the bill due to unmet coalition demands.
A senior coalition official, speaking anonymously, informed Xinhua that Netanyahu is expected to return to the hospital following the vote.
Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery in March under general anesthesia, during which Israel's Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister, Yariv Levin, temporarily fulfilled the role of Prime Minister.
In July 2023, Netanyahu was hospitalized for a pacemaker implant after experiencing arrhythmia, just one week after suffering from dehydration.
This incident sparked significant speculation within Israel regarding the Prime Minister's health and the extent to which information had been concealed from the public.
A medical report released in January stated that Netanyahu was in a "completely normal state of health," indicating that his pacemaker was functioning correctly and that there were no signs of heart arrhythmia or other concerning conditions.
Despite protocols necessitating that Prime Ministers release an annual health report, Netanyahu had not issued one from 2016 through late 2023.
He could not be legally compelled to disclose his health information, as these protocols, established by the PMO, were not codified into law.
