President Shimon Peres, who is 86, collapsed while responding to questions on motzei shabbos while addressing young leadership of the Rabin Center in northern Tel Aviv. A paramedic who accompanies the president responded immediately, and Mr. Peres regained consciousness after a few moments.

The president was taken to a side room to recuperate and to permit the EMS personnel to evaluate his condition. While he refused to be transported to a hospital, he did eventually agree and paramedics transported him to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.

Doctors report the president most definitely did not suffer a stroke or cardiac incident, adding “everyone should be in such good health, even those younger than the president”. Mr. Peres reluctantly agreed to permit a battery of tests to make absolutely certain his incident was nothing more than a simple fainting episode, which doctors attribute to the unusually high temperature in the hall in which he was addressing the audience. The president spent the night under observation.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)