Future PA Leader: An Engineered Succession Under Western Influence

PLO Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh arrives for the 32nd PLO Central Council session in Ramallah, April 23, 2025 (AFP)

Ramallah | The recent meetings of the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Central Council (April 23-24) and Executive Committee (April 26) were not surprising. Beyond political platitudes, these meetings had one clear objective: to officially comply with Arab and Western pressures through significant leadership restructuring, notably establishing the position of Vice President in the Palestinian Authority (PA). As widely anticipated, Hussein al-Sheikh was appointed to this newly created role, a development openly celebrated by some Arab states, notably receiving congratulations from UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed.

Al-Sheikh’s rise is not merely a reshuffle of positions but a calculated move by some external Arab and Western forces to engineer a succession process tailored to their interests, including reducing President Mahmoud Abbas's powers to a more symbolic role. Hussein al-Sheikh, who has extensive relationships with “Israel” and the United States due to his leadership of the PA’s Civil Affairs Authority—responsible for coordination with “Israel”—has thus become Abbas’s designated successor. His influence grew significantly after his inclusion in the Fatah Central Committee in 2009 and the PLO Executive Committee in 2022, eventually succeeding Saeb Erekat as secretary.

The consolidation of al-Sheikh’s power coincided with the systematic sidelining of his rivals within the Palestinian political arena, notably within the Fatah movement. His ascent was bolstered by strong Arab backing and the direct support of Abbas, further solidified through a series of leadership and security changes. Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh’s dismissal and replacement of key Palestinian security leaders with loyalists from Abbas’s personal guard were part of this broader restructuring. Additionally, thousands of senior military officers faced forced "retirement" as part of al-Sheikh-led security reforms.

The symbolic nature of al-Sheikh’s elevation was demonstrated clearly during recent Eid al-Fitr celebrations, as he led a high-profile, security-heavy delegation to Yasser Arafat's tomb—a public assertion of his new political status and succession legitimacy.

Critically, this externally orchestrated leadership transition represents deeper political implications beyond mere administrative reshuffling. It highlights ongoing Arab and Western influence over Palestinian internal affairs, particularly emphasizing the maintenance of controversial security coordination with “Israel”.