New Successor To Palestinian Authority Leadership Announced

What is he known for?

On the evening of April 26, the Executive Committee of the PLO appointed a deputy to the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen. His longtime associate, 65-year-old Hussein al-Sheikh, was chosen, according to "Detali."

Prior to this, on April 24, the Executive Committee of the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization — an association of Palestinian factions controlled by Fatah and Abu Mazen) decided to reinstate the position of deputy chairman. According to the Palestinian definition, this person is also considered the "vice president of the State of Palestine."

Essentially, the 89-year-old Abu Mazen officially named Hussein al-Sheikh as his successor. Here is what is known about him.

The full name of the new deputy is Hussein Shahada Muhammad al-Sheikh. He will turn 65 this December. He is considered one of Abu Mazen’s closest associates. Since May 2022 and until now, he has served as the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the PLO.

Until recent months, he also headed the Civil Affairs Authority of the Palestinian Authority. In this role, he was the primary liaison between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, particularly in dealings with the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.

For this reason, part of the Palestinian population views him primarily as a symbol of cooperation with Israel — if not outright "collaboration" with Israel. However, in the past, Hussein al-Sheikh spent ten years in an Israeli prison — from 1978 to 1988.

From 2007 until recent months, al-Sheikh headed the Civil Affairs Authority — the main Palestinian Authority body responsible for coordinating activities with Israel. Thanks to this position, he established extensive contacts with various Israeli structures.

During this period, al-Sheikh effectively controlled the distribution of all tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, as well as the issuance of permits for Palestinians to enter Israel, giving him enormous power.

After the death of Saeb Erekat in 2020, al-Sheikh also took over the position of Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee, placing him at the center of Palestinian Authority leadership.

Many critics see al-Sheikh as a symbol of corruption and the decay of Palestinian governance — due to numerous corruption scandals and even allegations of sexual misconduct.

It is possible that his dismissal two months ago from the position of head of the "Civil Affairs Authority" was an attempt to clean up his reputation before his new appointment.

In fact, al-Sheikh had long been acting as Abu Mazen’s deputy and was considered his potential successor. Now, his official appointment cements this status.

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