Funeral ceremony held for Palestinian official Saeb Erekat

Saeb Erekat's body was brought on Wednesday morning to Presidential Palace in Ramallah for a farewell ceremony attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamm Shtayyeh.

Erekat, a veteran peace negotiator and prominent international spokesman for Palestinians for more than three deces, died on Tuesday, weeks after being infected by coronavirus. He was 65.

His body will be laid to rest later Wednesday in his hometown Jericho.

Erekat died at Hassah Medical Centre, Israeli hospital where he was brought in critical condition last month.

He h received a lung transplant in U.S. in 2017 and was at especially high risk from virus.

Abbas said Erekat's death was a "great loss for Palestine and our people, and we feel deeply sdened by his loss, especially in light of se difficult circumstances facing Palestinian cause."