Palestinian Authority prime minister suffers heart attack

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad suffered a heart attack while in Texas for his son’s college education, his spokesman told the Associated Press.

Fayyad felt chest pains Sunday and went to an Austin hospital, where he had a heart attack, AP reported. He underwent catheterization to open a blocked artery and likely will be released from the Seton Medical Center in two days, according to the spokesman.

An American-educated economist, Fayyad has enjoyed good relations with the United States and other Western countries.

The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram, citing unnamed sources, reported last week that Fayyad will not be allowed to stay on as prime minister in a new Palestinian unity government. There have been reports that he could serve in the next government as finance minister, a post he had held in previous Palestinian governments.