Nabil Shaath hospitalized in Netherlands
Aide says senior Palestinian politician undergoing tests at Dutch hospital after suffering apparent heart attack at Amsterdam airport
An aide says senior Palestinian politician Nabil Shaath is undergoing tests at a Dutch hospital after suffering an apparent heart attack at the Amsterdam airport.
Hussam Zumlot says the 73-year-old Shaath was on a tour with a packed schedule when he fell ill on Sunday.
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Zumlot says Shaath was stable on Monday and undergoing tests at the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam. Officials there had no comment.
Shaath is a veteran negotiator with Israel and a prominent official in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.
He travels frequently and has played a key role in seeking international recognition for a Palestinian state.
Zumlot says Sunday's episode came after Shaath had boarded six aircraft in four days.
Back in October Shaath discussed the Mideast Quartet's proposal for the resumption of peace talks with Israel. Shaath said there are major differences between the current announcement and statements issued in recent months.
The Quartet's statement did not mention a settlement construction freeze, but does note the Road Map. Shaath claims that the fact that the Quartet has decided that both sides will have to interpret the statement as they see fit – without outlining any concrete steps – is the reason that negotiations have been going on for two decades and may be the reason why they stall again.
"The international community must take harsh and clear steps to point out the terms of negotiations and take harsh steps against those who violate them; but we, the Palestinians, are the only ones being punished when we break the terms," he said.
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