Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas mourned his "friend" Saeb Erekat on Tuesday, describing the death of the veteran Palestinian negotiator from Covid-19 complications as a "huge loss" for his people. "The departure of a brother and a friend, of the great fighter, Dr. Saeb Erekat, is a great loss for Palestine and our people, and we are deeply saddened," Abbas said in a statement shortly after Erekat's death was announced. bur/bs/kir