Netanyahu undergoes surgery, Levin assumes acting prime minister role

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is undergoing a "routine medical checkup" at Hadassah-Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem on Friday, after undergoing prostatectomy surgery at the same hospital five months ago.

At the time, the surgeon, Professor Ofer Gofret, announced after the surgery that "there is no fear of a tumor or cancer."

Due to Netanyahu's medical procedure, today, Israeli ministers approved, through a telephone referendum, the appointment of Justice Minister Yariv Levin as acting prime minister, starting at six o'clock this morning until the completion of the medical procedures.

According to the government's decision, Levin is authorized to call and chair government meetings whenever necessary. It was also decided to appoint Defense Minister Yisrael Katz as acting head of the Ministerial Committee for Security Affairs, i.e., the political-security cabinet, due to Netanyahu's surgery.

Netanyahu's surgery comes as his trial moves into the cross-examination phase by the prosecution next week, after the first phase focused on his testimony and his responses to his lawyers' questions.

Following the surgery, Netanyahu had asked the court to suspend his trial. However, a few days later, he participated in a Knesset vote, after which the court decided to postpone his trial for two weeks on the condition that he remain at home.

Netanyahu's surgery.