Bulgarian authorities confirmed on Tuesday that Israel had requested the extradition of Palestinian Omar Zayed, who is being sought in connection with serving his life imprisonment sentence.

The request for extradition was submitted by Israeli judicial authorities to the Bulgarian Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassation through the justice ministry.

Zayed is being sought by Israeli authorities in connection with serving the remainder of his life imprisonment sentence, which was issued by the district court of Jerusalem in 1986.

According to media reports, the Palestinian citizen has been convicted of the murder of an Israeli yeshiva student in occupied East Jerusalem.

The sentence entered into force at the end of 1986 and the convict was admitted to prison.

In April 1990, Zayed was hospitalised in Bethlehem and a month later he escaped from prison. In 2012, he was granted with a permission to reside in Bulgaria.

Israel fulfilled all requirements on submitting an official request for extradition as stipulated by the European Convention on Extradition.

Thus all conditions for the preliminary detention of Zayed have been fulfilled and Bulgarian authorities have ordered the arrest of the Palestinian citizen for 72 hours.

Israel has assured Bulgarian authorities that in case Zayed is extradited, he will not be the subject of violence, torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment.

His sentence will be implemented in compliance with the requirements of international law.

The request for extradition will be reviewed by Sofia City Court (SGS) which will determine whether to extradite him or not.

At present, the police has not been able to find Zayed and he has been declared wanted across the country.