Son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas elected to top Fatah body | Fatah News
Yasser Abbas Joins Fatah’s Central Committee Amid Party Congress in West Bank
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Yasser Abbas, son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has been elected to the central committee of the Fatah movement as initial results from its first Congress in a decade were announced. The Congress, held over three days in Ramallah, took place amid significant challenges for Fatah following the recent conflict in Gaza.
Yasser Abbas, 64, who resides primarily in Canada, joins the leadership body five years after being appointed as his father’s special representative. His election comes as Fatah grapples with internal divisions and external pressures.
During the Congress, Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian figure imprisoned since 2002, received the highest number of votes to maintain his seat on the committee. Jibril Rajoub was re-elected as the committee’s secretary-general, and Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh retained his position.
The Congress reported a turnout of 94.6 percent from 2,507 voters, with 59 candidates competing for 18 central committee seats. Additionally, 450 candidates are vying for 80 positions on the revolutionary council. Counting for the revolutionary council is currently ongoing.
In his opening address, Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to reforming the Palestinian Authority (PA) and pledged to hold long-overdue presidential and parliamentary elections. The PA, along with Abbas, faces increasing international calls for reform amid accusations of corruption and political stagnation, which have diminished their credibility with the Palestinian populace.
U.S. President Donald Trump has emphasized the need for extensive reforms for the PA to play a significant role in any post-war reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Historically, Fatah has been the leading force within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the recognized representative of the Palestinian people. However, Fatah’s influence has waned in recent years due to internal strife and growing public discontent over stalled peace negotiations, which have benefitted rival faction Hamas.
As Fatah’s central committee prepares to navigate a potential post-Abbas landscape, key figures, including Rajoub and Al-Sheikh, are emerging as potential successors to the 90-year-old leader. Yasser Abbas’s election is viewed as a strategic move, though political analysts caution that it does not guarantee his ascendance to the presidency.
“His election may mark the beginning of a transition phase, but the elder Abbas remains firmly in control,” said Ali Jarbawi, a political science professor at Birzeit University.
