Ramallah - The Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, yesterday insisted he was in good health, denying Israeli radio reports that he suffered a collapse.
"As you can see for yourself I am in good health, contrary to the stupid rumours that have been put about," Mr Arafat told a press conference, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Israeli radio, quoting a senior Palestinian official, said Mr Arafat had collapsed earlier yesterday and was treated for two hours at Ramallah hospital.
Reports surfaced in September that Mr Arafat became ill after a heated discussion with the representative of the Gulf state of Qatar, during meetings in Cairo on the sidelines of an Arab League foreign ministers' conference.
Egypt and the Palestinian Authority immediately dismissed the reports as nonsense.