Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be fitted with pacemaker, as tens of thousands march on Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will be fitted with a pacemaker tonight.

In a video statement released by his office, Mr Netanyahu said: “A week ago I was fitted with a monitoring device. That device beeped this evening and said I must have a pacemaker and that I must do this already tonight.

“I feel great, but I need to listen to my doctors.”

The 73-year-old will undergo the procedure at Sheba Medical Centre in Tel HaShomer, his office said, and he is expected to be discharged on Sunday afternoon.

A week ago, Mr Netanyahu was rushed to hospital after suffering from a dizzy spell, due to spending the day in 40C (104F) heat.

A “preliminary assessment” by doctors suggested he had suffered from dehydration, but later test results showed he was “in complete cardiac health”, and Mr Netanyahu’s office said he was feeling “very good”.

March on Jerusalem

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of protesters marched on the main highway into Jerusalem on Saturday evening in a last-ditch show of force aimed at blocking Mr Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul.

The arrival of the marchers turned the city’s main entrance into a sea of blue and white Israeli flags as they completed the last leg of a four-day, 45-mile (70km) trek from Tel Aviv to Israel’s parliament.

The demonstrators joined forces with hundreds of other protesters and planned to camp outside the Knesset, ahead of an expected vote on Monday.

Mr Netanyahu and his far-right allies claim the overhaul is needed to curb what they say are the excessive powers of unelected judges.

However, their critics say the plan will destroy the country’s system of checks and balances and put it on the path toward authoritarian rule.

Read more:
Netanyahu will do ‘whatever we need to defend Israel’
Protests flare over Netanyahu’s new Supreme Court bill

More than 100 of Israel’s former security chiefs, including retired military commanders, police commissioners and heads of intelligence agencies, have signed a letter pleading with the Israeli leader to halt the legislation.

The signatories include Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister.