According to "The Times of Israel," 76-year-old Netanyahu was suddenly rushed to a medical center in Jerusalem on the evening of May 25.
After the news broke, there was widespread discussion within Israel, once again bringing Netanyahu’s health into the international spotlight.
Netanyahu’s office released a statement claiming he had merely gone for a dental treatment, though they provided no further details.
On the night of the incident, Netanyahu was urgently transported to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. His office later confirmed that the hospitalization was related to dental treatment, but their vague wording and the detail of a "late-night visit" made it difficult to fully dispel public suspicions.
This event quickly ignited public controversy, rooted in a multi-layered crisis of trust.
Previous history of concealing medical conditions: In 2023, he was hospitalized due to "dehydration," but later it emerged that he had actually received a pacemaker implant; in April 2026, he admitted to having a history of prostate cancer, claiming he had withheld the information earlier out of concern that Iran might exploit it politically.
Consistent with past patterns, the official response this time remains deliberately vague. Combined with rapid dissemination across social media, this has made it impossible for him to control public opinion as effectively as before.
The political sensitivity of this incident lies in its timing—occurring precisely during the darkest chapter of Netanyahu’s political career. Any minor development could become the final straw.
Recently, his key allies have publicly broken ranks over military exemption issues, causing the coalition government to wobble dangerously.
The parliament has passed the dissolution bill by a large majority, new elections are imminent, and multiple polls indicate that Netanyahu’s Likud party may suffer a devastating defeat.
He is currently on trial for corruption charges, and numerous court hearings have been postponed or abruptly ended based on various justifications he has offered—including health and diplomatic reasons.
These actions have significantly eroded Netanyahu’s political credibility and public support. This sudden hospitalization may mark the turning point ending his political career, with profound implications for Israel’s domestic and foreign policies. At the same time, this storm has once again brought the institutional question—whether the Prime Minister’s health information should be mandatorily disclosed—to the forefront.
Appendix: Relevant medical history of Netanyahu since 2023:
· July 2023: Implanted cardiac pacemaker.
· March 2024: Underwent hernia surgery.
· December 2024: Received prostate surgery.
· January–February 2026: Completed radiation therapy for prostate cancer, claimed to be fully recovered.
· May 25, 2026: Hospitalized this time for “dental treatment.”
After Netanyahu admitted to having had prostate cancer, other medical details were subsequently revealed.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866261624127500/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.