11/30/2024
President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas announces a successor, Rawhi Fattouh, to take over if he cannot continue in his post due to poor health. Fattouh is the former speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, current speaker of the Palestinian National Council – the legislative body of the PLO – and a member of Fatah’s Central Committee. Abbas has already picked Mahmoud al-Aloul – deputy chairman of the central committee – to take over Fatah after him. However, Abbas has ensured that his close confidant Hussein al-Sheikh – PLO secretary-general – will succeed him as its head of the PLO. Observers say that the Palestinian Authority is the least-coveted role because it is a limited role, providing services, where the center of real power is the PLO and Fatah.