His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held on Tuesday evening a telephone conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during which he offered condolences on the death of the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's Executive Committee Dr Saeb Erekat, praying to Allah the Almighty to have mercy on his soul, rest it in peace in Paradise, and inspire his family with patience and fortitude.
Earlier, His Highness the Amir sent a cable of condolences to President Abbas.
His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani also sent a cable of condolences to President Abbas.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani sent a cable of condolences to Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh.
Saeb Erekat was longtime chief Palestinian negotiator and secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the PLO. He died after contracting Covid-19.
President Abbas mourned Erekat saying: "The departure of our brother and friend, the great fighter, Dr Saeb Erekat, represents a great loss for Palestine and our people, and we feel deeply saddened by his loss, especially in light of these difficult circumstances facing the Palestinian cause." He also declared a mourning period of three days.
"Palestine today bids farewell to this patriotic leader and the great fighter who played a big role in raising the banner of Palestine high and defending the rights of our people and their national constants in all international forums," Abbas added.
Spokesman of Fatah Movement Osama al-Qawasmi announced Erekat's death in an Israeli hospital, after weeks-long suffering from coronavirus infection.
Erekat died at the age of 65. He took over the Palestinian negotiations file with the Israeli entity in the mid-1990s.
He served as the deputy head of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Conference in 1991, which made him present in the Palestinian political scene during the last three decades.
