Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu gets his prostate removed

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. File Pic/AP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is having his prostate removed on Sunday, his office said, a procedure that comes as he manages multiple crises at once, including the ongoing war in Gaza and his own trial for alleged corruption.

Netanyahu, who has had a string of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a fully healthy, energetic leader. During his trial this month he boasted about working 18-hour days, even if those long hours are accompanied by a cigar.

The procedure has already had a fallout: Netanyahu's lawyer Amit Hadad said in a letter to the court the Israeli prime minister would be fully sedated for the procedure and would be hospitalised for "a number of days", asking that his three days of testimony this week be canceled. The court agreed.

An acting prime minister will take over for Netanyahu while he is undergoing the procedure, although it wasn't immediately clear who will step in.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever