Veteran Palestinian politician Saeb Erekat dies of COVID-19

By Ali Abo Rezeg

ANKARA (AA) - Prominent Palestinian politician Saeb Erekat passed away Tuesday in an Israeli hospital, after weeks-long suffering from coronavirus infection.

Erekat died at Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital, sources from Fatah movement told Anadolu Agency.

His health deteriorated after he contracted coronavirus last month. The veteran Palestinian politician had been suffering from a rare disease that required lung transplantation in 2017.

Erekat took part in the Washington talks during 1992-1993, and was appointed as the head of the Palestinian negotiating delegation in 1994.

He was the first minister for local government in the first government formed by the Palestinian National Authority led by the late President Yasser Arafat.