Saeb Erekat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saeb Erekat
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| صائب محمد صالح عريقات | |
Erekat in London, December 2014
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| Member of the Palestinian Parliament for Jericho |
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| In office 20 January 1996 – 10 November 2020 |
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| Majority | 31,501 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat
28 April 1955 Abu Dis, Jordanian-ruled West Bank |
| Died | 10 November 2020 (aged 65) Jerusalem |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Political party | Fatah |
| Spouse |
Neameh Erekat
(m. 1981; died 2020) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Noura Erakat (niece) Yousef Erakat (nephew) Ahmad Erekat (nephew) |
| Residence | Jericho |
| Alma mater | City College of San Francisco, San Francisco State University and University of Bradford |
Saeb Muhammad Salih Erekat (Arabic: صائب محمد صالح عريقات Ṣāʼib ʻUrayqāt; 28 April 1955 – 10 November 2020) was an important Palestinian politician and diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in talks with other countries.
He was the secretary general of the executive committee of the PLO from 2015 until he passed away in 2020. He also served as the chief negotiator for the Palestinians in talks with Israel for many years.
Contents
About Saeb Erekat
Saeb Erekat was a key figure in Palestinian politics. He spent much of his life working towards peace and a Palestinian state. He was known for his role in many important discussions.
Early Life and Education
Saeb Erekat was born in Abu Dis. This area was under Jordanian rule at the time. He was one of seven children in his family.
Growing Up in Abu Dis
When Saeb was 12 years old, the Israelis took control of the West Bank. A year later, he was held by authorities. This happened because he wrote messages against the occupation. He also put up flyers and threw stones.
College Years in the US and UK
In 1972, Erekat moved to San Francisco, California, in the United States. He first studied at City College of San Francisco for two years. This is a type of college that offers two-year programs.
He then went to San Francisco State University. There, he earned a bachelor's degree in international relations in 1977. He also got a master's degree in political science in 1979. Political science is the study of how governments work.
Later, he moved to England to continue his studies. He completed his PhD in peace and conflict studies in 1983. This field looks at how to resolve disagreements and build peace.
Erekat was married to Neameh. They had four children: twin daughters named Dalal and Salam, and two sons, Ali and Muhammad.
His Political Journey
After finishing his studies in England, Erekat returned to the West Bank. He taught political science at An-Najah National University in Nablus. He also worked for 12 years on the editorial board of a Palestinian newspaper called Al-Quds.
Starting His Career
In 1991, Erekat became an important part of the Palestinian team. He was the deputy head of the delegation at the Madrid Conference of 1991. A delegation is a group of people chosen to represent others. This conference was a major peace talk.
He also took part in follow-up discussions in Washington, D.C. between 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he was named the Minister for Local Government. He also became the Chairman of the Palestinian negotiation team.
Key Negotiations and Roles
From 1995, Erekat served as the Chief Negotiator for the Palestinians. This was during the Oslo Accords period, which were a series of peace agreements. In 1996, he was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council, representing Jericho.
He was a strong supporter of Yasser Arafat, who was a very important Palestinian leader. Erekat was involved in major talks like the 2000 Camp David Summit and the Taba Summit in 2001. He also acted as Arafat's English interpreter.
In 2003, he briefly resigned from his role. This happened after he was not included in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He was later reappointed to his position. He also helped with the Annapolis Conference in 2007.
Later Years in Politics
Erekat resigned as chief negotiator again in 2011. This was due to the release of the Palestine Papers, which were secret documents about peace talks. However, he continued to hold the role in 2013.
In 2015, he became the secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. He worked on plans for new talks with international diplomats. This included discussions with Jared Kushner, who was an adviser to President Donald Trump.
His Impact and Voice
Saeb Erekat was one of the most well-known Palestinian spokespeople in Western media. He wrote a lot about the idea of a Palestinian statehood. He also openly disagreed with the Trump peace plan.
Speaking for Palestine
During the Second Intifada (a period of intense conflict), he strongly criticized Israeli actions. He described the 2002 military operation in Jenin as a "massacre." He claimed that many Palestinians had been killed. However, after the event, the actual number of deaths was much lower. Most of those who died were fighters. Erekat faced criticism for his initial statements.
Working with Other Leaders
Erekat generally had good relationships with the people he negotiated with. For example, Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni said their talks were always honest. They had mutual respect, even when they disagreed often. He even gave his American counterpart, Martin Indyk, a tour of Hisham's Palace near Jericho.
Health and Final Years
Saeb Erekat faced several health challenges. On 8 May 2012, he was hospitalized in Ramallah after having a heart attack.
In 2017, he had a lung transplant in the United States. He had been suffering from a lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis. This condition causes scarring in the lungs.
In October 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19. On 18 October, he was taken to an Israeli hospital in Jerusalem in serious condition. His daughter shared on Twitter that he had a bronchoscopy. This is a procedure to look at the respiratory system. Saeb Erekat passed away from complications of COVID-19 on 10 November 2020, at the age of 65. He was buried in Jericho.
Works
- Imam Ali Bin Abi Taleb and Negotiations (2015)
See also
In Spanish: Saeb Erekat para niños
- Arab–Israeli conflict
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Foreign relations of Israel
