Palestinian national poet Mahmoud Darwish in critical condition

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Noted Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish is in critical condition, a senior Palestinian official said Saturday. The official, who spoke anonymously as Darwish's health has not yet been made public, said the 67-year-old poet, known as the "Palestinian national poet," was in a "difficult condition" at an American hospital after undergoing complicated heart surgery. His poetry has given voice to the Palestinian experience. It has been translated into more than 20 languages, put into music and won many international prizes. Born in a village near Haifa, Darwish has since lived in several Arab countries. He was a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization but resigned in 1993 in protest over the interim peace accords signed with Israel. Darwish moved to Ramallah in 1996.