RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' doctor said Sunday that the 83-year-old will be staying another day in the hospital, abruptly reversing a previous announcement that he would be discharged and adding to the uncertainty surrounding the Palestinian leader's health. Abbas, who is a heavy smoker, was admitted on May 20 for what doctors had initially said were medical tests following ear surgery. He was shown on Palestinian television last week walking along a hospital corridor and sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper.A Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Abbas was still undergoing treatment and would not be released on Sunday, adding that he has been holding meetings with international and Palestinian officials at his bedside.The official Palestinian news agency Wafa ran a statement which quoted Istishari Hospital's medical director, Said Sarahneh, as saying test results show an improvement in his health. Abbas took over as a caretaker leader following the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004, and was elected for what was supposed to be a five-year term the following year. His latest health scare revived anxiety over a potentially chaotic or even bloody succession battle as Mr Abbas currently has no deputy.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's discharge from the hospital is delayed.