Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hid prostate cancer from public because of Iran war
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has been diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer but delayed revealing his condition for two months to avoid it being used against Israel amid the war with Iran.
In a statement posted on X, Netanyahu, who will be 77 in October, said he requested publication of his annual health report be delayed so it would not be released “at the height of the war, to prevent the Iranian terror regime from spreading further false propaganda against Israel”.
Netanyahu’s annual health report, released on Saturday, said he underwent surgery on December 29, 2024, for an enlarged prostate. The surgery had been reported publicly at the time.
A few months ago, during a routine follow-up, doctors discovered early-stage prostate cancer, Aron Popovtzer, director of the oncology department at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, said in a video statement about Netanyahu’s condition.
The Prime Minister was presented the option of active surveillance or radiation therapy, and he chose to have targeted radiation therapy at Hadassah two and a half months ago.
- The Washington Post
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