Who replaces the prime minister during a medical emergency?

After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was hospitalized on Saturday afternoon, reportedly due to fainting and hitting his head, many people have found themselves wondering what the procedure is in the event that he cannot continue to function as prime minister for a temporary amount of time.

In principle, the Israeli government has a position known as Acting Prime Minister, which, unlike the role of Deputy Prime Minister, holds statutory significance.

The person serving in the role of Acting Prime Minister is supposed to fill the role of prime minister in case of illness, absence from the country, or even death.

However, Netanyahu has not appointed himself a replacement in recent years, and therefore, in the event that he is unable to perform his duties due to medical reasons, there would be no immediate changeover. 

It is important to note, however, that the prime minister is not currently expected to be declared incapacitated as a result of his hospitalization.

According to the Basic Law of the Government, in the event that the prime minister is unable to fill his position temporarily, and none of the ministers hold the title of Acting Prime Minister, the government must convene and elect an acting prime minister from the already-existing ministers.

Alternatively, the prime minister has the option to, within a certain time frame, notify the government of a temporary deputy of his choice.

It was this option that Netanyahu chose back in January of this year when undergoing a medical procedure that required him to be sedated, selecting former minister Aryeh Deri to serve as his temporary replacement.