Palestinian President Abbas appoints interim successor as Trump 'considers' Barghouti release

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced a constitutional amendment on Sunday that would make the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) deputy chair Hussein al-Sheikh his successor in the event of the leader's incapacitation or death.

The decree stipulates that the PLO vice chair would take up Abbas' leadership role for an interim period of three months if the role of PA president becomes vacant, and in the absence of a Palestinian Legislative Council.

The Palestinian Legislative Council has not convened since the 2007 split between Fatah and Hamas and some see Abbas's move as a way of maintaining the status quo.

Abbas' latest decree also says that elections for a new president will be held in the 90-day transitional period. If elections are unable to be held due to a force majeure, the interim term can be extended once by the Palestinian Central Council.

"Based on the requirements of the supreme national interest in maintaining stability, we issued the constitutional declaration to affirm the principle of the separation of powers and the peaceful transfer of power through free and fair elections," Abbas said in the decree.

Abbas, 89, appointed al-Sheikh as vice president and deputy chairman of the PLO's Executive Committee in April - both newly-created roles.

The new declaration repeals a previous one from 2024 designating the head of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, as interim successor in the event of the presidency becoming vacant.

Abbas' latest move - like previous declarations regarding his succession - has drawn accusations of attempting to bypass democracy and preserve the current regime.

Awni al-Mashni, a member of the Follow-up Committee of the Palestinian National Conference, told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that the amendment "reproduces the current Palestinian political system in an undemocratic manner by imposing the status quo. Second, it aims to block any future Palestinian elections and prevent the emergence of a new leadership generation that views elections as a legitimate way to transfer power”.

Omar Assaf, coordinator of the Palestinian Popular Conference, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the move reinforces authoritarianism and individual rule.

"There is widespread outrage over this constitutional declaration, which disrespects both Palestinian institutions and those of Fatah. It reflects absolute monopolisation of power,” Assaf said, adding that the move may be pre-empting the possible release of Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti.

"It seems designed to block him politically, as polls have consistently shown Barghouti as a strong rival to Abbas," Assaf said.

Barghouti, who was not released as part of the recent captive exchange between Israel and Hamas, is widely considered a unifying figure in Palestinian politics.

Despite Israel's insistence that Barghouti will not be released early from his prison term of five life sentences plus 40 years, US President Trump recently raised hopes that this decision could be reversed.

Trump told TIME last week that he was "making a decision" on whether Barghouti should be released.