Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is tightening his grip on the leadership in Ramallah through the appointment and promotion of close associates to key roles in the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee.
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The list of appointments for the committee, one of the most influential institutions in the Palestinian political system, was published in Ramallah on Saturday.
Among the names on the list, the one that has drawn the most attention is senior Fatah official and the PA's civil affairs minister Hussein al-Sheikh, who has now officially been appointed PLO secretary-general. Alongside the new title, al-Sheikh has also been appointed the head of the PLO negotiating team, a position previously held by the late Saeb Erakat.
Thanks to these two appointments, al-Sheikh is now the No.2 in the Palestinian leadership, boosting his chances of being made PA chairman.
Al-Sheikh's standing has been bolstered in recent years. Abbas has tasked him with numerous roles within the framework of which he is in charge of diplomatic ties both with Israel and overseas. He hosted members of a US delegation to Ramallah in recent weeks and led a series of meeting in preparation for US President Joe Biden's upcoming Middle East trip.
The move by the PA chairman is aimed at complying with US demands for reform ahead of Biden's visit.
Al-Sheikh maintains ongoing ties with both diplomatic and security figures in Israel and has the full support of the PA president. Over the last year, he met with Foreign Minister and Prime Minister-designate Yair Lapid as well as Defense Minister Benny Gantz in his home in Rosh Haayin. The meetings focused on civilian issues that included economic steps and the easing of restrictions on Palestinians, as well as the need for diplomatic talks that Abbas has demanded be held. Abbas supported the meetings, which he saw as a workaround to the diplomatic freeze under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
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