Following emergency surgery to implant a pacemaker, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aged 73, appeared in a video from a hospital near Tel Aviv.

Dressed in a crisp dark suit, he smiled and enthusiastically declared that he felt “great, as you can see.”

However, the video appearance on Sunday did little to ease the concerns of Israelis, who were shocked to learn that their longest-serving prime minister had been concealing a known heart problem.

This revelation starkly contrasted with the image of a robust and energetic leader that Netanyahu had carefully projected, the Associated Press reports.

A week after a fainting incident, Netanyahu underwent urgent pacemaker placement to regulate his heartbeat. It was only after this procedure that the Sheba Medical Center staff disclosed on Sunday night that the prime minister had been dealing with a condition for years that could lead to irregular heartbeats.

Prior to this revelation, cardiologists had downplayed concerns, attributing his symptoms to dehydration and stating that his heartbeat was “completely normal.”

These sudden revelations about Netanyahu’s health issues emerged during a time of mass protests against his controversial plan to curtail judicial power, with legislators from the governing coalition voting on a key bill on Monday.

The disclosure of his chronic heart problem in a seemingly indirect manner fueled additional anger and distrust at a time when Israel is experiencing extreme political polarization.

Written by staff