Saeb Erekat, Secretary-Normal of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and chief Palestinian negotiator, talks to reporters within the West Financial institution metropolis of Ramallah in March. Erekat is being handled in a Jerusalem hospital after contracting COVID-19.
Abbas Momani/AFP through Getty Pictures
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Abbas Momani/AFP through Getty Pictures
Saeb Erekat, Secretary-Normal of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and chief Palestinian negotiator, talks to reporters within the West Financial institution metropolis of Ramallah in March. Erekat is being handled in a Jerusalem hospital after contracting COVID-19.
Abbas Momani/AFP through Getty Pictures
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat is being handled for COVID-19 in a Jerusalem hospital, based on the hospital, after Israel gave the OK for his switch from the West Financial institution.
The Palestinian Authority severed ties with Israel earlier this 12 months. It was not instantly clear whether or not the request for the switch got here from the Palestinian Authority or from Erekat personally. The switch came about on Sunday.
Erekat, 65, obtained a lung transplant within the U.S. in 2017 after affected by pulmonary fibrosis. He reportedly examined optimistic for coronavirus earlier this month.
A PLO assertion stated Erekat required medical consideration at a hospital after contracting COVID-19 and “because of the power well being issues [Erekat] faces within the respiratory system.”
Wishing @ErakatSaeb a full and speedy restoration. Keep robust, my good friend! The way forward for the #Palestinian individuals want your dedication to peace, democracy and statehood. You’re within the arms of a few of the finest medical doctors in #Israel— the unsung heroes within the battle in opposition to #COVID19.
— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) October 18, 2020
Erekat is “important however steady,” and he was sedated and on a ventilator, Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital stated in a press release.
The hospital had stated earlier on Monday that his situation deteriorated throughout the morning. He “had a quiet evening however his situation deteriorated this morning, and is now important.”
“Mr. Erekat poses an immense problem for coronavirus remedy given his lung transplant and suppressed immune system, and a bacterial an infection along with the coronavirus,” hospital spokeswoman Hadar Elboim stated in a written assertion.
Erekat, who the hospital reported was receiving high-flow oxygen remedy, was “receiving top-notch skilled care like all severe corona sufferers at Hadassah,” stated the hospital’s director, Zeev Rothstein.
Palestinian hospitals within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution are subpar to Israel’s superior hospitals. Ran Yaron, a spokesman for Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, advised NPR that superior surgical procedures and transplants are usually not accessible in West Financial institution hospitals, and Israel doesn’t allow Palestinian hospitals within the West Financial institution and Gaza Strip to have their very own radiation gear resulting from fears it could possibly be transformed into weaponry.
Palestinian sufferers needing superior remedy search care in hospitals in Israel, although many sufferers are presently blocked from hospital care in Israel due to the Palestinian Authority’s suspension of ties with Israel and its refusal to ensure fee of payments incurred in Israeli hospitals.
The emergency drugs heart of Hadassah College Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem, the place senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat is being handled, in {a photograph} taken on Monday.
Ahmad Gharabli/AFP through Getty Pictures
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Ahmad Gharabli/AFP through Getty Pictures
The emergency drugs heart of Hadassah College Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem, the place senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat is being handled, in {a photograph} taken on Monday.
Ahmad Gharabli/AFP through Getty Pictures
Erekat’s hospitalization in Israel has sparked controversy amongst each Israelis and Palestinians. Israel’s United Nations ambassador, Gilad Erdan, accused Erekat of “hypocrisy” for accepting Israeli remedy whereas supporting calls to boycott Israel. Some Israeli lawmakers stated Hamas ought to launch Israeli captives held in Gaza in trade for Erekat’s remedy. Palestinians have protested Erekat’s remedy in Israel whereas the Palestinian Authority continues to droop ties with Israel and block many Palestinian affected person referrals to Israeli hospitals.
In February, the Palestinian Authority, which governs the occupied West Financial institution, minimize diplomatic ties with Israel over the Trump administration’s Mideast plan, which supplies Israel a free hand to annex giant swaths of the West Financial institution.
Erekat has been concerned in many of the main Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, because the Palestinians’ chief peace negotiator since 1995. He’s a prime political determine, serving as secretary basic of the Palestine Liberation Group’s govt committee.
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