Israel says it will allow Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to leave his West Bank compound for medical treatment, but Palestinian officials say they made no request for him to do so.
The Israeli decision to allow Mr. Arafat to go to a Ramallah hospital would let him leave his compound in the city for the first time in almost three years.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat says there is no need for Mr. Arafat to go because he is recovering from the flu in his compound.
The latest developments come as doctors from Egypt and Tunisia examine Mr. Arafat. Officials say on Monday they performed an endoscopy on the Palestinian leader. Israeli media has speculated he suffers from something more serious than the flu.