Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas passes in front of American President Donald Trump during the summit for Gaza in Sharm al-Sheikh, on Oct. 13, 2025. (Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP)
After creating the position of vice president of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) earlier this year and appointing his close adviser, Hussein al-Sheikh, to it, Mahmoud Abbas has placed him as the first in line of succession.
Nearing 90 years old, the Palestinian president on Sunday, Oct. 26, amended the regulations to prepare for his succession in the event his office becomes vacant.
The head of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has thus designated his vice president to temporarily serve as acting president for up to 90 days, the time needed to organize a presidential election.
If an election cannot be held within the three-month time limit, the interim period can be extended by decision of the Palestinian Central Council, but only once.
The constitutional declaration reported by the WAFA news agency applies in the event of the death or resignation of the head of state and replaces the January 2024 declaration, which named the president of the Palestinian National Council as the interim successor.
The PLO’s legislative body, which is supposed to represent Palestinians worldwide, has become largely symbolic, as the Central Council has supplanted it in recent years as the PLO’s main decision-making body.
With this amendment, Abbas aims to ensure a smooth transition, as Sheikh is aligned with his approach — rejecting armed resistance and maintaining security coordination with Israel — while remaining acceptable to Israelis, Americans and Arab countries alike.
Succession of continuity
The move is also meant to address calls for reforms from the international community, particularly from regional capitals eager to prevent Hamas from gaining ground in the occupied territories.
Moreover, the PA will not be able to claim governance of Gaza without substantial reforms, according to the Trump plan for the postwar period.
"We published this constitutional declaration to reaffirm the principle of separation of powers and the peaceful transfer of power through free and fair elections," the WAFA statement noted.
The last legislative elections were held in 2006 in Gaza and the West Bank, resulting in a Hamas victory, after which the group seized control of the enclave following a fratricidal confrontation with Fatah.
That outcome led Abbas to cancel the 2021 election, according to some observers, out of fear of a landslide defeat.
Though Abbas faces criticism for collaborating with Israel, his designated interim successor, Hussein al-Sheikh, headed the General Authority of Civil Affairs, which is tasked in particular with overseeing security coordination with Israel in the West Bank.
His appointment as vice president of the PLO Executive Committee sparked a backlash from some member groups that boycotted the vote to create the position — including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) and the Palestinian National Initiative.
The move was seen as an attempt by Abbas to retain control over the transition, while Palestinians widely criticize the president himself for rampant corruption, lack of economic prospects and a stalled horizon for any Palestinian state.
It remains uncertain whether a potential departure by Abbas would truly change the situation.
