Palestinian President Abbas names top aide as PLO’s first-ever VP

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
26 Apr 2025 21:56

The Palestinian president appoints Hussein al-Sheikh as the PLO’s first vice president, positioning him as a key contender for succession.

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Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh, gestures as he arrives for the 32nd Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council session in Ramallah on April 23, 2025 (AFP)

The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has appointed Hussein al-Sheikh, currently the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee, as the first-ever deputy head of the organization.

This is the first time a deputy has been named to support Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in leading the PLO.

Al-Sheikh, 64, a close aide to Abbas, previously served as the Palestinian Authority's civil affairs minister.

His appointment to this new role is seen as a significant development in the ongoing PA succession battle, positioning him as a potential successor to Abbas.

Sheikh, 64, is a veteran leader of Abbas' Fatah movement, which dominates the PA, and is considered close to the president.

He spent more than 10 years in Israeli jails in the late 70s and early 80s.

In 2022, he was made the PLO Executive Committee's secretary-general and head of its negotiations department, a sensitive portfolio, demonstrating his close ties to Abbas.

Abbas also recently appointed him as the head of a committee overseeing Palestinian diplomatic missions abroad.

Abbas has been head of the PA since 2005 following the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The following year, he was elected to a four-year term, with no presidential vote since.

According to Palestinian officials, in the event of Abbas' death or resignation, the vice president would be expected to become the acting head of the PLO and of the state of Palestine, which is recognized by nearly 150 countries.

PLO vice presidency aimed at succession planning

The appointment was confirmed by PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yousef, who stated, "Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appointed Hussein al-Sheikh as a deputy (vice president) of the PLO leadership."

At 89, Abbas has faced increasing international calls for PLO leadership reform, especially from Arab and Western powers looking to see an expanded role for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the post-war governance of the Gaza Strip.

The PA handles local governance in parts of the occupied Palestinian territories.

The vice presidency was officially established during a recent PLO convention held in Ramallah. Analysts suggest that this development is designed to pave the way for a transition of power within the Palestinian leadership.

Founded in 1964, the PLO was recognized by the United Nations and many countries as the representative body empowered to negotiate international agreements on behalf of the Palestinian people.

Initially, the PLO pursued armed struggle against "Israel", but over time, particularly from the late 1980s, it shifted toward negotiations and diplomacy.

The PLO signed major agreements with "Israel", including the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, and recognized "Israel’s" "right to exist", while seeking an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the eastern part of al-Quds.

The organization is composed of various Palestinian political factions, with Fatah (led historically by Yasser Arafat) being the most dominant. The PLO does not include Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, the Palestinian Resistance groups currently engaged in confrontations with Israeli occupation forces in Gaza.