2 weeks ago
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The millionaire businessman lad of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has won a steering relation successful his father’s political enactment Fatah, a enactment authoritative said connected Sunday (May 17, 2026), as a succession combat looms for power of the embattled Palestinian Authority (PA).
Yasser Abbas won a spot successful elections for the Fatah Central Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, at its archetypal wide league successful astir a decade. Mahmoud Abbas (90) volition stay chairman, it decided.
The PA was acceptable up arsenic an interim medication nether the 1990s Oslo accords betwixt Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, an umbrella radical inactive internationally recognised arsenic the typical of the Palestinian people. The almighty Fatah enactment dominates some the PA and the PLO.
Mr. Abbas’ son’s foray into authorities has fuelled speculation that the president whitethorn beryllium seeking to presumption Mr. Yasser, 64, to win him arsenic caput of Fatah.
That has drawn disapproval from immoderate Fatah officials, who accidental Mr. Yasser would beryllium incapable to unify Palestinians oregon assistance them illustration a caller governmental aboriginal aft years without national elections oregon tangible steps toward statehood.
In the much than 2 decades since Mahmoud Abbas was elected to win Fatah laminitis Yasser Arafat, Palestinians person travel to presumption the PA arsenic ineffective and corrupt, thing denied by Abbas, who has ruled by decree since his mandate expired successful 2009.
In 2007, Mr. Abbas’ Fatah forces successful the Gaza Strip were overpowered by Hamas militants who seized power of the enclave, a twelvemonth aft Hamas swept the Palestinian parliamentary elections. Peace talks with Israel meant to pb to the instauration of a Palestinian authorities successful the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem collapsed successful 2014, with expanding Israeli settlements since carving up areas slated for Palestinian statehood. The PA is besides grappling with a fiscal crisis.
Yasser Abbas, who has ne'er held an authoritative relation wrong Fatah or the PA, runs baccy and contracting firms successful the parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank wherever the PA exercises limited aforesaid rule. Critics person agelong alleged that helium and his member Tarek person used nationalist funds to assistance their businesses, allegations some men reject. Among others to person won seats connected the Central Committee are Majed Faraj, caput of the General Intelligence Agency, and erstwhile militant radical person Zakaria Zubeidi, released successful a Hamas-Israel prisoner-hostage speech arsenic portion of a 2025 Gaza ceasefire.
