Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence Deputy John Brady TD has expressed his condolences to the family and friends of the General Secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Saeb Erekat, who died this morning.

Teachta Brady said: “I want to extend my condolences to President Abbas, the Palestinian people, and the Mission for the State of Palestine here in Ireland.

“Dr Saeb Erekat was a human rights defender, an activist, a man who lived a life dedicated to the Palestinian people in the cause of peace and justice.

“Dr Erekat was a central figure in almost every round of negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis since the Madrid conference of 1991.

“His commitment, knowledge and attention to detail made him a formidable and skilled negotiator.

“As the Israeli authorities are intent on annexing swathes of the West Bank, when the Palestinian people are being made homeless at the hands of the Israeli military, the time has come for the international community to act now, to put an end to apartheid policies of Israel towards the Palestinian people.

“The struggle for peace and justice for the Palestinian people must continue. We here in Ireland can honour the memory of activists such as Dr Erekat by calling on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Irish government to formally and finally recognise the State of Palestine.”