Palestinian president Abbas leaves hospital after health scare

Palestine's president has been discharged from a West Bank hospital after eight days of treatment for pneumonia, the state-run WAFA news agency reported.

Mahmoud Abbas left hospital on Monday following his latest health scare, pledging to return to work.

"I leave hospital today in good health and will resume my work beginning tomorrow," the 83-year-old told reporters before leaving the hospital near Ramallah.

"If the issue of Jerusalem has gotten us into hospital, we want to leave hospital to make Jerusalem the capital of the State of Palestine," he added.

Abbas was hospitalised on May 20 with a fever, just days after undergoing ear surgery.

The lengthy hospital stay has drawn new attention to the ageing Palestinian leader's health problems and his refusal to name a deputy or a successor.

On Monday, a Fatah spokesman denied rumours that Abbas had died while in hospital, news website Arab48 reported.

Palestinian officials said he had pneumonia and was on a respirator, receiving antibiotics intravenously.

Abbas' allies have insisted he is in good health, but his release was repeatedly pushed back.