Top Palestinian Negotiator Dies from Coronavirus

Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary General Saeb Erekat, one of the most prominent Palestinian leaders on the world stage, died on Tuesday from the coronavirus. Erekat, 65, tested positive on October 15 and, after self-quarantining at his home in Jericho near the Dead Sea, was hospitalized for the past month at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. Longtime considered the top diplomatic representative for the Palestinian Authority, Erekat was at high risk for complications from the virus due to a mild heart attack he suffered eight years ago, and a lung transplant he underwent in 2017. A proponent of the two-state solution for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Erekat’s passing caused a stir in Israeli politics on Tuesday, as some politicians published messages of condolences to the Erekat family while others insisted he had been a war-monger and supporter of terrorism, calling his death a happy occasion. Erekat is survived by his wife Niemeh and four children. For more on his death and legacy, click here.