Netanyahu leaves hospital to vote as coalition members dissent

Alisa Odenheimer, Bloomberg News on Dec 31, 2024

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left hospital against his doctors’ advice to vote on a bill in parliament that would help fund the nation’s wars, legislation that has failed to get the backing of his entire coalition.

Netanyahu left for the Knesset after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of one of the coalition parties, said he and others in his party would oppose the bill. That decision was over “the strenuous opposition of the doctors,” said Hadar Elboim, a spokeswoman for Hadassah Medical Center. The 75-year-old premier had prostate surgery on Sunday night.

Ben-Gvir said he wouldn’t back the bill in protest at the draft 2025 budget, which he described as a “blow to the police force.” He said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had refused to negotiate.

The hospital said on Monday that the prime minister was feeling well and his condition was improving. Netanyahu’s personal doctor accompanied him to the Knesset and the premier will return to hospital after the vote, a spokesman for the prime minister said.

The Bank of Israel said it was important that the bill, which relates to undistributed profits, be approved.

“The bill is expected to generate a permanent revenue stream of significant volumes, which is required to balance the increase in permanent expenses resulting from the costs of the war,” the central bank said.

—With assistance from Dan Williams and Galit Altstein.