Palestinian president flies to Germany for medical checkup

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas flew to Germany on Monday for a medical checkup, Report informs, citing Newsru.co.

Abbas, 85, has long been in poor health and was admitted to hospital with pneumonia in 2018. A heavy smoker, he was also treated in a US hospital the same year during a trip to address the UN Security Council.

Abbas flew by Jordanian helicopter from his Ramallah headquarters in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to Amman, where he commented on placing Jordanian King Abdullah’s half-brother under house arrest.

“When these events occurred, we saw the whole world, without exception, standing by Jordan and by His Majesty, and this is evidence of the great respect and great interest in this peaceful and secure country,” Abbas said in televised remarks.

The official Palestinian TV channel broadcasted his comments.