Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday appointed veteran aide Hussein Al-Sheikh as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), marking a major step toward naming a successor. While the move does not guarantee Al-Sheikh will become the next Palestinian president, it positions him as the front-runner among Fatah's long-serving politicians hoping to succeed the 89-year-old Abbas. Al-Sheikh's appointment follows the PLO's decision last week to create the post of vice president. Under current rules, the vice president would assume leadership of the PLO in a caretaker capacity if Abbas dies or becomes incapacitated. A permanent replacement would still require approval from the PLO's executive committee, which is dominated by veteran politicians. The Palestinian Authority (PA), meanwhile, would be led temporarily by Rawhi Fattouh, speaker of the dormant Palestinian parliament, with elections legally required within 90 days — although political realities could allow the new PLO president to assume both posts. Al-Sheikh, 64, has held top positions in Palestinian politics for decades, most recently as secretary-general of the PLO's executive committee. A former security officer and political prisoner in Israel, he maintains close ties with Israel and key Arab allies, strengthening his position within Fatah and beyond. However, Al-Sheikh, like much of the Fatah leadership, remains deeply unpopular with the Palestinian public. Polls consistently show low support for him, and critics view the leadership's closed-door decision as reinforcing Fatah's image as out of touch. In a 2022 interview with the Associated Press, Al-Sheikh defended security coordination with Israel as a necessary measure under the occupation, saying, "We undertake the coordination because this is the prelude to a political solution for ending the occupation." The succession move comes at a critical time as Israel's war with Hamas continues and regional tensions rise. The PLO remains the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people, and Abbas is still seen by world powers as a key figure in any future peace efforts. — Agencies
