Israel: Netanyahu to undergo pacemaker surgery

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will undergo a surgery to implant a pacemaker on Sunday, July 22.

Netanyahu's latest health crisis comes just as lawmakers are set to debate the judicial reforms bill in parliament on Sunday which will be followed by a vote on Monday.

The controversial bill sparked one of the biggest protest movement's in Israel's history since it was unveiled in January.

Netanyahu to be discharged in time to vote for reforms

The Prime Minister is set to have the surgery at the Sheba Medical Center while Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin will step in for him.

A week ago, Neanyahu had been discharged after a night of hospitalization following complaints of dizziness.

Despite finding the leader "in complete cardiac health," doctors implanted a "monitoring device" to continue supervising his health.

"A week ago I had a monitoring device implanted and this device beeped this evening and announced that I needed to get a pacemaker," Netanyahu said in a video posted on his Facebook page.

He added that he will be discharged from the hospital by Sunday afternoon, which is in time to vote for the reforms bill.

Judicial overhaul polarizes Israel

In his sixth term as Prime Minister, Netanyahu is currently facing a domestic crisis with protests surging against his push for judicial changes.

The ruling coalition said the bill was needed to balance out the division of power as the court was intervening too often.

Critics of the bill, however, suggested that the Supreme Court played a crucial role in safeguarding civil rights in a country that has no formal constitution and no upper chamber of parliament.

Those opposing the bill also accuse Netanyahu of using the reforms to quash possible judgment against himself. He is currently on trial for corruption charges which he denies.

Tens of thousands of Israelis marched from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Saturday to protest the planned judicial overhaul that would curtail the powers of the Supreme Court.

The protesters are set to gather outside parliament on Sunday as lawmakers debate the bill.