Netanyahu hospitalized ahead of key judicial reform vote

(Patria) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent emergency surgery to have a pacemaker implanted after being transferred to the hospital on Saturday evening.

Doctors at the Sheba Medical Center said the procedure went well and he is not in life-threatening condition, BBC reports. Prime Minister Netanyahu's hospitalization comes ahead of a key parliamentary vote on a controversial judicial reform.

Protests against the reform have swept Israel, with many workers vowing to strike if the bill is passed.

In a video address before the overnight surgery, Netanyahu said he felt "great" but was listening to his doctors.

Questions about his health had been growing after he was hospitalized last week, reportedly for dehydration. The surgery went smoothly "without any complications," said Professor Roy Beinart of the Sheba Medical Center, adding that Netanyahu "is not in a life-threatening condition".

His office said Netanyahu would be discharged on Monday, but planned trips to Cyprus and Turkey would be postponed.

Netanyahu said he should be healthy enough to attend parliament after the procedure. A vote is expected within the next 48 hours on his government's plans for judicial reforms that aim to curb the powers of the Supreme Court.

The vote, expected to take place on Monday, will represent a showdown between the hardline religious-nationalist coalition and parts of Israeli society. Parliament began debating the highly contested bill on Sunday. One by one, Israeli opposition lawmakers are taking to the parliamentary podium, pleading with the government to abandon its plans.

In recent days, tens of thousands of protesters have been marching from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to oppose the judicial changes, with people filling the main highway. Demonstrators have been camping near parliament, following a four-day protest march.

Demonstrations are expected near parliament, and the coalition also faces the threat of a mass service boycott by thousands of military reservists, including hundreds of air force pilots, if the bill is passed. Three former chiefs of staff and dozens of senior security officials have signed a letter criticizing the reform plans and supporting the reservists.

Israel's Supreme Court is the sole source of checks and balances on power. Netanyahu's critics worry that the reform will seriously undermine Israeli democracy by weakening the judiciary. Supporters of the reforms argue that the Supreme Court has become increasingly "activist" over the decades, hindering the policies of democratically elected governments. They accuse judges of making politically motivated decisions.