Netanyahu leaves hospital to support contentious budget bill after surgery

(MENAFN) Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, defied his doctor's orders and left a Jerusalem hospital just two days after having surgery to remove his prostate in order to assist his party in passing a contentious budget bill. After the legislative situation was resolved, he went back to resume his recuperation a few hours later.

Netanyahu spent the day promoting a contentious law that would regulate how Israeli corporations pay taxes and distribute dividends in the Knesset, the country's parliament.

His attendance was crucial since it highlighted the splits within Netanyahu's administration as some right-wing parties tried to reject the law due to differences with Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The bill passed by a single vote.

Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister and the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, is among the lawmakers stalling the bill because of a dispute with Smotrich, a former ally, about police budget.

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