Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has publicly dismissed recent rumors about his health, denying reports that he is suffering from a serious illness and insisting he feels “excellent.”

Speaking in an interview with podcaster Avi Shushan, Netanyahu brushed aside media reports suggesting he has cancer or other major health issues.

“There are propaganda channels with some fictitious reality, and then there’s reality,” Netanyahu said. “You’re seeing reality.”

Asked directly how he is feeling, the prime minister replied, “Excellent.”

Netanyahu also said he maintains a healthy lifestyle.

“Yes. I exercise, sleep, eat. I’d like to sleep a bit more, but overall it’s fine,” he said.

The interview later turned to Netanyahu’s public image. Shushan remarked that the prime minister appears much warmer and friendlier in person than portrayed in the media.

Netanyahu said he hears that frequently from people who meet him and his wife, Sara.

“They tell me, ‘This is so different from the image on television.’ I tell them, ‘Of course—that’s the truth,'” Netanyahu said, arguing that the media presents a distorted picture of him.

Ending the interview on a lighthearted note, Netanyahu joked about being described as “a hugger.”

“What exactly do you want me to do?” he quipped. “Be platinum? Stand like this, not move?”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)