Palestinian leader tries to dispel fears after health scare

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has tried to dispel growing concerns about his health and lack of a successor, saying that political institutions aren't based on just one person and that the country "will always be full of good men."

The 83-year-old Abbas spoke late Tuesday in a televised meeting with leaders of his Fatah movement. He convened the meeting a day after being released from a weeklong stay in a hospital where he was treated for pneumonia.

His hospitalization was the latest in a series of health scares and revived concerns about what will happen once he leaves office. There is no clear path of succession, and Abbas has refused to designate a deputy. Several Fatah leaders consider themselves to be successors, raising the possibility of a chaotic political battle.