JERUSALEM, Oct 23: A team of Tunisian doctors are to carry out a health check on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who has been confined to his West Bank headquarters by Israel for almost three years, officials said on Saturday.

The state of the 75-year-old Arafat's health has been the subject of a number of Israeli press reports recently which have suggested the Palestinian leader was suffering problems causing him to limit his activities.

"It is a humanitarian request from a country (Tunisia) with which we are in regular contact and we agreed to meet their request," a foreign ministry official said of the permits for three Tunisian doctors.

However the official did not give any information about Mr Arafat's health.

Arab Israeli MP Ahmed Tibi, a doctor who is close to Yasser Arafat, told Israeli radio that Mr Arafat's health was "normal", adding: "He was struck by the flu recently but is better."

The radio said the decision to allow the doctors to see Mr Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah was taken personally by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.-AFP