Foreign
The casket of Saeb Erekat arrived at the Muqata, President Mahmoud Abbas’ headquarters, on Wednesday for an official farewell the day after the top Palestinian official’s death following complications related to COVID-19.
Only officials and family were allowed to attend the ceremony, due to restrictions in place in light of the pandemic.
After Abbas and other officials paid their respects, the casket was placed into a van and driven to Erekat’s West Bank home town of Jericho for a final prayer ceremony and burial.
Erekat died on Tuesday following complications related to Covid-19, after contracting the coronavirus in October.
He had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and a lung transplant in the U.S in 2017.
Erekat was one of the most visible Palestinian officials on the world stage and a top aide to Abbas.
He served as the secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).
Previously, Erekat served as chief Palestinian negotiator for nearly two decades, since shortly after the 1993 interim Oslo peace accords with Israel. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been on ice since 2014. (dpa/NAN)
– Nov. 11, 2020 @ 14:49 GMT |
Tags: Palestinian official Erekat to be laid to rest in home town Jericho
