NABLUS, April 4, 2012 (WAFA) – Lawmaker Hamed Bitawi died Wednesday of complications following an open heart surgery, according to parliament sources. He was 68.
They said Bitawi underwent open heart surgery in Jerusalem two weeks ago, but never recovered from the operation.
Bitawi was elected to the Palestinian parliament in 2006 as part of the Hamas-backed Change and Reform bloc.
He was arrested in Israel several times, the latest was in 2007 and was held for several years.
He was an outspoken critic of the Israeli occupation and a preacher at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
M.S.
