Palestinian President Abbas designates potential upcoming leader to display continuity to international authorities
Unleashing a New Era: Hussein al-Sheikh's Ascension as Vice President and Potential Successor
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made a groundbreaking move on Saturday, naming Hussein al-Sheikh, a close confidant, as his deputy and presumed heir, according to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). This move is widely perceived as an effort to assuage international doubts over the future of Palestinian leadership.
Born in 1960, al-Sheikh is a seasoned politician with roots in Fatah, the leading faction within the PLO, founded by the late Yasser Arafat. Despite having headed the PLO and the Palestinian Authority (PA) since Arafat's demise in 2004, Abbas had long resisted internal reforms, including the naming of a successor.
A veteran of Fatah, al-Sheikh's reputation as a pragmatist with robust ties to Israel has made him a prominent figure. His appointment as the PLO's first-ever vice president was ratified by the PLO's executive committee following Abbas's nomination.
Reforms within the PA, which governs autonomously in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, have been prioritized by the United States and Gulf monarchies. They hope the PA can play a pivotal role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The pressure to reform escalated following the onset of the Gaza war, where the PLO's main rival Hamas has been battling Israel since 2007.
The United States has advocated for a reformed PA to govern Gaza post-war, while Gulf monarchies, seen as the primary source of post-war reconstruction funding for Gaza, are pushing for substantial reforms within the PA.
Israel's objective in Gaza is the eradication of Hamas, but it has ruled out granting the PA any role in its government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state. Hamas, adhering to a militant Islamist ideology, has controlled Gaza since 2007 and also maintains a significant presence in the West Bank.
At a meeting of the PLO's Central Council earlier this week, Abbas issued his most explicit call yet for Hamas to disarm completely, relinquish its weapons, and transfer governing responsibilities in Gaza to the PA.
The PA's popularity among many Palestinians has been eroded by widespread corruption, slow progress towards an independent state, and increasing Israeli military incursions in the West Bank. Formed in the Oslo Accords with Israel in 1993, the PA has been controlled by Fatah and has not held parliamentary elections since 2005.
Al-Sheikh, who spent 11 years in Israeli prisons (1978-1989) for his anti-occupation activities, has served as the PA's main liaison with the Israeli government, and has represented Abbas on various international visits.
Hussein al-Sheikh: A Closer Look
Born in 1960 in Ramallah, West Bank, to a refugee family[2], al-Sheikh embarked on a political career during the First Intifada. After the Oslo Accords, he briefly served as a colonel in the Preventive Security Division. He has held various top positions within Fatah[2][3]. He currently heads the General Authority of Civil Affairs within the PA and has served as the Minister for the Coordination of Civil Affairs from 2013 to 2019[2]. Following the 2014 Gaza war, al-Sheikh represented the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Reconstruction Committee[2]. Furthermore, he has served as the Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee before his appointment as vice president[4].
- The new vice president, Hussein al-Sheikh, is a pragmatist with robust ties to Israel and a seasoned politician within the Fatah faction of the PLO.
- Al-Sheikh's appointment as the first-ever vice president of the PLO was ratified by the PLO's executive committee following President Mahmoud Abbas's nomination.
- The United States and Gulf monarchies are advocating for reforms within the PA, hoping it can play a pivotal role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- The United States wants a reformed PA to govern Gaza post-war, while Gulf monarchies, the primary source of post-war reconstruction funding for Gaza, are pushing for substantial reforms within the PA.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state and has ruled out granting the PA any role in its government.
- The PA's popularity among many Palestinians has been eroded by widespread corruption, slow progress towards an independent state, and increasing Israeli military incursions in the West Bank.
- Al-Sheikh, who spent 11 years in Israeli prisons for his anti-occupation activities, has served as the PA's main liaison with the Israeli government and has represented Abbas on various international visits.
- The world is closely watching the elections in the war-and-conflicts-ridden region, particularly the political landscape and policy-and-legislative decisions of national leaders like al-Sheikh.
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