Ramallah, Feb 23, (dpa/GNA) – Former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Kureia, considered one of the key actors in the Oslo peace negotiations with Israel, died on Wednesday at the age of 85.
His death was announced by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbbas.
The founding member of the Palestinian Fatah movement was to be buried in Ramallah on Thursday.
Kureia was born east of Jerusalem in Abu Dis. He was the first parliamentary speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council in 1996, and became prime minister under Abbas in 2003. He was replaced about three years later after an electoral defeat by the Islamist Palestinian organization, Hamas.
The Oslo Accords were considered a milestone in the Middle East peace process. In September 1993, Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed a declaration of principles in Washington, that led, among other things, to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority.
However, the expected breakthrough to a lasting peace settlement failed to materialize. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled since 2014.
GNA