Netanyahu in defamation testimony over reports about his health: “My health Is in the top decile”

By Yael Yaffe

News in Brief

• Benjamin Netanyahu testified today in his defamation lawsuit against Israeli journalists Ben Caspit and Uri Misgav, as well as protest activist Gonen Ben Itzhak.
• The lawsuit was filed in June 2024 after claims implying Netanyahu’s health condition was poor.About three weeks ago, a report revealed that Netanyahu had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
• Judge Menachem Mizrahi received the Prime Minister’s updated medical file earlier this week.
• Netanyahu testified: "They are trying to portray me to the public as a broken man".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified Thursday at the Tel Aviv District Court in the defamation case he filed against Ben Caspit, Uri Misgav, and Gonen Ben Itzhak.

The 500,000-shekel (approximately 192,000-dollar) lawsuit was filed in June 2024 following publications by the three defendants suggesting Netanyahu’s health was deteriorating. His testimony came amid recent revelations regarding his medical condition.

The Court Hearing

• "My health condition is normal – some would say excellent", Netanyahu declared at the start of his testimony.

• He strongly denied previous reports, saying: "I never suffered from pancreatic cancer as was reported in April 2024. If that had been the case, I wouldn’t be here today".

• Netanyahu said that over the years he suffered from an enlarged prostate and underwent surgery to reduce it on December 29, 2024, a procedure publicly disclosed on February 14.

• According to Netanyahu, his physical condition has steadily improved and he is now "higher on the health scale, in the top decile according to the overall indicators".

• "They are trying to present me to the public as a broken man, someone who lost his focus and vitality. This was done maliciously, not in good faith. I wanted to expose this bluff", he testified.

• He also accused Gonen Ben Itzhak of claiming he was terminally ill. "I say this is a blatant lie. You knew it, you tried to spread it, and I came here to show that you spread a blatant lie".

• Netanyahu added: "Many things have been said about me, but claiming I have terminal pancreatic cancer and am hiding it from the public? That is extremely significant. A prime minister steering the country while supposedly near death and medically unstable – that is enormous. That is why I filed the lawsuit".

• Judge Mizrahi ended the session with Netanyahu’s consent, clarifying that the testimony was not complete and saying: "We will meet again at another date".

  Discovery of the Tumor and Treatment

• Netanyahu said that toward the end of 2025, an elevated PSA test led doctors to identify an early-stage cancerous tumor measuring eight millimeters.

• "The doctors told me there were two options – to treat it or not. Many people simply live with it", Netanyahu said. "My approach is that when I identify a danger and receive an indication in time – both in managing the country and in my personal life – I deal with it and eliminate it".

• Following the discovery, Netanyahu underwent five radiation treatments during January and February 2026.

• He said follow-up examinations indicated the tumor had been completely removed, and that the information was publicly disclosed in April 2026, several weeks after treatment.

• Netanyahu also addressed the pacemaker implanted in his body, saying it "has never been activated since it was installed".

Review of Netanyahu’s Medical File

• In February 2025, Judge Mizrahi ordered Netanyahu to submit his full medical file for review. In March 2025, the judge examined the file and ruled that he found no evidence supporting the defendants’ claims regarding Netanyahu’s health.

• The legal situation changed about three weeks ago after the publication of a medical report stating that Netanyahu was diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point after December 2024.

• The public had not been informed of the illness in real time. Following the revelation, Judge Mizrahi requested and received Netanyahu’s updated and complete medical records earlier this week.

Dispute Over the Timing of the Diagnosis

Judge Mizrahi said the timing of Netanyahu’s cancer diagnosis is "a critical point in the dispute in this trial".

The issue is central because the lawsuit was filed long before the date of diagnosis mentioned in the latest medical report.

The defendants had argued in their publications that Netanyahu’s health was not normal, and the court must now determine whether the later medical findings affect the original defamation claims.