Palestinian President Abbas confirms medical checks, says results 'positive'

By Ali Sawafta

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed on Thursday that he went into hospital in the United States for medical checks, saying in a television interview that the results were "positive."

Abbas, 82, flew to the United States to address the U.N. Security Council in New York on Feb. 20. He had been expected to travel on to Venezuela, but on Thursday Palestinian officials confirmed that he was still in the United States and was undergoing routine medical checks in the city of Baltimore.

Abbas confirmed this on Thursday, after the tests.

"Our presence here was a suitable chance for us to make some medical checks," Abbas told Palestine TV during a short interview. "We actually made those checks and we are out now and, thank God, all results are positive and are assuring. This is God's blessing on us."

Palestinian officials said he would be returning to the West Bank on Friday. They did not disclose when Abbas went into hospital nor the nature of the medical checks.


Source: Yahoo News