AhlulBayt News Agency: Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed Hussein al-Sheikh as the first-ever vice president of the State of Palestine, a move criticized by many as "illegitimate and divisive."
Hussein al-Sheikh, a close confidant of Abbas and Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s (PLO) Executive Committee, was appointed following a decision made during last week’s Palestinian Central Committee (PCC) meeting.
Sheikh, a veteran member of Fatah, was also named vice chairman of the PLO Executive Committee. These roles were created through amendments to the PLO Basic Law during the PCC meeting on Thursday.
The PCC meeting faced boycotts from major factions, including the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the Palestinian National Initiative, who criticized the committee for neglecting prior commitments, such as ending security coordination with Israel and implementing the Beijing Agreement for a national unity government.
Hamas condemned the meeting, stating it “deepens divisions, entrenches isolation, and disappoints our people’s hopes for unity.”
Palestinian lawyer Anis Qassem argued that Sheikh’s appointment lacks legal legitimacy, asserting that the PCC does not have the authority to amend the National Charter, a power reserved for the National Council.
Abbas also recently appointed Sheikh to oversee Palestinian diplomatic missions abroad. Sheikh’s responsibilities within the PA include managing security coordination between Ramallah and Israeli forces in the West Bank.
Many speculate that Sheikh’s new role positions him as a potential successor to the 89-year-old Abbas, though the move has done little to improve Fatah’s image among Palestinians, who often view the party as corrupt and disconnected from public concerns.
The PA, dominated by Fatah since Abbas assumed leadership in 2005 after Yasser Arafat’s death, has faced criticism for its governance, particularly during the past 18 months of intensified Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank.
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