FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets
with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Sun, February 6, 2022
By Ali Sawafta and Nidal al-Mughrabi
RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - A key Palestinian decision-making body convenes on Sunday for the first time in nearly four years in a session that could be a stepping stone for two potential successors to 86-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Central Council last met in 2018, hampered by internal divisions among Palestinians. Hamas and Islamist Jihad movements turned down an invitation to attend Sunday's meeting, saying Abbas had to institute power-sharing reforms first.
Abbas heads the PLO and the Palestinian Authority (PA), which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. His main rival, Hamas, runs the Gaza Strip, also an Islamic Jihad stronghold.
The elderly leader, who has a history of heart problems, has not proposed a successor. Both Islamic groups have accused Abbas, who hasn't held a presidential election since 2005, of not doing enough to heal Palestinian divides which are holding up a ballot. Abbas blames Hamas for the current split.
The 141-member Central Council, meeting on Sunday and Monday, was widely expected to appoint two of Abbas's confidants, Hussein Al-Sheikh and Rawhi Fattouh, to senior posts, effectively placing them on a short list to replace him, Palestinian analysts said.
Abbas, scheduled to speak at the opening session, wants 61-year-old Sheikh, now a key Palestinian liaison with Israel and the United States, to fill the post of secretary-general of the PLO's Executive Committee, replacing the late Saeb Erekat, the analysts said.
Fattouh, 73, another Abbas aide, is his choice to head the PLO's highest decision-making body, the National Council.
Both men are close to Abbas and are not expected to shift policies over the handling of the conflict with Israel.
But even if the appointments are ratified by the Central Council, the path to succeeding Abbas, elected in 2005 to replace the late Yasser Arafat as PA president, could prove complicated.
"There is a long list of successors to (Abbas) and there is a clear internal conflict," said West Bank-based political analyst George Giacman. "If something happened to (him) there will be disputes."
Relations with Israel were also due to be discussed at the council session. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014.
(Writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Raissa Kasolowsky)
Sun, February 6, 2022
By Ali Sawafta and Nidal al-Mughrabi
RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - A key Palestinian decision-making body convenes on Sunday for the first time in nearly four years in a session that could be a stepping stone for two potential successors to 86-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Central Council last met in 2018, hampered by internal divisions among Palestinians. Hamas and Islamist Jihad movements turned down an invitation to attend Sunday's meeting, saying Abbas had to institute power-sharing reforms first.
Abbas heads the PLO and the Palestinian Authority (PA), which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. His main rival, Hamas, runs the Gaza Strip, also an Islamic Jihad stronghold.
The elderly leader, who has a history of heart problems, has not proposed a successor. Both Islamic groups have accused Abbas, who hasn't held a presidential election since 2005, of not doing enough to heal Palestinian divides which are holding up a ballot. Abbas blames Hamas for the current split.
The 141-member Central Council, meeting on Sunday and Monday, was widely expected to appoint two of Abbas's confidants, Hussein Al-Sheikh and Rawhi Fattouh, to senior posts, effectively placing them on a short list to replace him, Palestinian analysts said.
Abbas, scheduled to speak at the opening session, wants 61-year-old Sheikh, now a key Palestinian liaison with Israel and the United States, to fill the post of secretary-general of the PLO's Executive Committee, replacing the late Saeb Erekat, the analysts said.
Fattouh, 73, another Abbas aide, is his choice to head the PLO's highest decision-making body, the National Council.
Both men are close to Abbas and are not expected to shift policies over the handling of the conflict with Israel.
But even if the appointments are ratified by the Central Council, the path to succeeding Abbas, elected in 2005 to replace the late Yasser Arafat as PA president, could prove complicated.
"There is a long list of successors to (Abbas) and there is a clear internal conflict," said West Bank-based political analyst George Giacman. "If something happened to (him) there will be disputes."
Relations with Israel were also due to be discussed at the council session. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014.
(Writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Raissa Kasolowsky)
Two potential successors to Palestinian president named to top posts
President Mahmoud Abbas gestures during a meeting in Ramallah
Mon, February 7, 2022,
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Two potential successors to 86-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were named on Monday to top posts in the Palestine Liberation Organization at a meeting boycotted by his Islamist rivals.
Official Palestinian news agency WAFA said the PLO's 141-member Central Council appointed Hussein Al-Sheikh, 61, an Abbas confidant who serves as key liaison with Israel and the United States, to the PLO's Executive Committee.
He is likely to replace the late Saeb Erekat as the committee's secretary-general.
The council, meeting for the first time in nearly four years, picked Rawhi Fattouh, 73, another Abbas aide, to head the PLO's highest decision-making body, the National Council.
Both men were nominated by the Western-backed Abbas and his Fatah party and are widely seen in the Palestinian territories as possible successors. They are not expected to promote any shift in policies over the handling of the conflict with Israel.
The Hamas and Islamist Jihad movements turned down an invitation to attend the council's two-day session, which began on Sunday, saying Abbas had to institute power-sharing reforms first.
"These appointments are void, illegal and lack (national) consensus. It is nothing but a redeployment of (Abbas's) team," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in Gaza.
Abbas heads the PLO and the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. His main rival, Hamas, runs the Gaza Strip, also an Islamic Jihad stronghold.
Both groups have accused Abbas, who hasn't held a presidential election since 2005, of not doing enough to heal Palestinian divides holding up a ballot. Abbas blames Hamas for the current split.
Palestinian analysts said the Central Council's appointments could improve Sheikh's and Fattouh's prospects of succeeding Abbas, but internal divisions and other potential challengers cloud the political picture.
Abbas, who has a history of heart problems, has not proposed a successor.
(Reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Editing by Leslie Adler)
President Mahmoud Abbas gestures during a meeting in Ramallah
Mon, February 7, 2022,
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Two potential successors to 86-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were named on Monday to top posts in the Palestine Liberation Organization at a meeting boycotted by his Islamist rivals.
Official Palestinian news agency WAFA said the PLO's 141-member Central Council appointed Hussein Al-Sheikh, 61, an Abbas confidant who serves as key liaison with Israel and the United States, to the PLO's Executive Committee.
He is likely to replace the late Saeb Erekat as the committee's secretary-general.
The council, meeting for the first time in nearly four years, picked Rawhi Fattouh, 73, another Abbas aide, to head the PLO's highest decision-making body, the National Council.
Both men were nominated by the Western-backed Abbas and his Fatah party and are widely seen in the Palestinian territories as possible successors. They are not expected to promote any shift in policies over the handling of the conflict with Israel.
The Hamas and Islamist Jihad movements turned down an invitation to attend the council's two-day session, which began on Sunday, saying Abbas had to institute power-sharing reforms first.
"These appointments are void, illegal and lack (national) consensus. It is nothing but a redeployment of (Abbas's) team," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in Gaza.
Abbas heads the PLO and the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. His main rival, Hamas, runs the Gaza Strip, also an Islamic Jihad stronghold.
Both groups have accused Abbas, who hasn't held a presidential election since 2005, of not doing enough to heal Palestinian divides holding up a ballot. Abbas blames Hamas for the current split.
Palestinian analysts said the Central Council's appointments could improve Sheikh's and Fattouh's prospects of succeeding Abbas, but internal divisions and other potential challengers cloud the political picture.
Abbas, who has a history of heart problems, has not proposed a successor.
(Reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Editing by Leslie Adler)
No comments:
Post a Comment