Israeli parliamentarians from across the political spectrum expressed support for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert following Monday’s announcement that he had prostate cancer.
Media correspondents in the fields of politics and health were summoned for an urgent briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday morning.
In a room packed with journalists Olmert, 62, announced he was diagnosed with a small malignant tumor in his prostate, but emphasized it would not hamper his work as a leader.
“According to my doctors, this is a microscopic tumor,” Olmert said. “It has no secondary growths and it can be removed through a short surgical procedure.”
Olmert said the surgery would leave him incapacitated for only a few hours and he would not require radiation or chemotherapy treatment.
Lawmakers from the Left and the Right praised Olmert for his courage and transparency.
“I think he’s brave to announce his medical status openly to the public,” said Aryeh Eldad, a member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, from the hawkish National Union Party.
As a medical professor, Eldad said it did not sound as if the tumor was aggressive, and he did not think it would impede Olmert’s functioning as prime minister.
“The reason that Prime Minister Olmert has to resign, in my opinion, has nothing to do with his medical status. He just failed as a prime minister,” Eldad said.
Eldad believes the stress involved in leading the country may have contributed to the eruption of the disease.
As well as the routine difficulties in running a country and dealing with the inner politics of his own Qadima party, Olmert is also facing criticism on his function during the Lebanon last year and is being grilled over allegations of corruption.
“We know that stress is a great contributing factor to the development of cancerous growths,” Eldad said.
Former foreign minister Silvan Shalom, from the right-wing Likud party, also thought Olmert made the right decision in publicizing his medical condition.
“Even though I’m in the opposition, in some things I think he’s right,” Shalom said, smiling.
Some journalists were puzzled that the media was summoned at such short notice to hear Olmert’s statement, without being given any explanation as to what it was about.
Shalom said he thought this move was necessary so as not to give rise to unfounded rumors.
It stands to reason that if he would receive treatment in hospital, it would be leaked to the media, Shalom said.
“I think he preferred to announce it himself and not let the press come up with rumors about his medical situation. I think he took the right decision,” he added.
MK Menahem Ben Sasson, from the Qadima Party, said he believed Olmert’s announcement was in line with international standards of openness and transparency.
“Fortunately, it is under control and the procedure will be done on time,” Ben Sasson said. “This can’t limit his activities.”
Meanwhile the United States State Department has announced that the peace summit planned for next month in Annapolis will not be postponed or affected by the announcement of Olmert’s illness.
Avshalom Vilan, from the left-wing Meretz-Yahad party, called the announcement a brave measure and wished the premier a speedy recovery.
“I admire that he told the public immediately and made, in my opinion, a very important step.”
Notifying the public about the health situation of Israeli politicians became a matter of concern after former prime minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke in January 2006. Sharon fell into a coma and is still unconscious in hospital.
There is no law obligating senior Israeli officials to update the public about their health situation, but proposals for such a law were raised after Sharon was incapacitated.