Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a three-day mourning period for Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator who died on Tuesday after contracting COVID-19.
"The departure of the brother and the friend, the great fighter Saeb Erekat, represents a big loss for Palestine and for our people," Abbas' office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank said in a statement.
"We feel deep sorrow for losing him, especially at such difficult times the Palestinian cause is living through."console.log("BODY. CatId is:"+catID);var _isHostNameDev_body2 = window.location.hostname == "devdesktopcore.jpost.com";var _isHostNameStg_body2 = window.location.hostname == "stgdesktopcore.jpost.com";if(_isHostNameDev_body2 || _isHostNameStg_body2){console.log("Body2. HostName isDev or isStg");if(catID == 69){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";}else if(catID==120){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); }}else{console.log("Body2. Production");if(catID==120){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); }}Erekat, 65, the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), confirmed on Oct. 8 that he had contracted the coronavirus. Three years earlier he had undergone a lung transplant in the United States that left his immune system compromised.Erekat's family said he "transitioned peacefully" in hospital on Tuesday. "Saeb lived a life full of thought, love, forgiveness and peace, and he will be dearly missed," they said in a statement."Saeb has shown an extraordinary patience and resilience, with the same determination that has characterized his career to achieve freedom for Palestine and a just and lasting peace in our region."
