
At 1 a.m. last Sunday, a WhatsApp message was sent to my mobile and to other diplomatic and political reporters in Israel: Prime Minister Netanyahu will undergo a pacemaker implantation, and during the operation, Justice Minister Yariv Levin will be acting prime minister.
Many in Israel raised an eyebrow: “Wait, a week ago you told us he didn’t feel good because he was dehydrated, and now you are installing a pacemaker?” It wasn’t the first time an Israeli PM’s health status wasn’t exactly made transparent to the public.