In a historic and controversial move, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed senior Fatah figure Hussein al-Sheikh as his deputy - the first such appointment in two decades.
The decision, approved by the Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO) Executive Committee and Central Council on Saturday, makes al-Sheikh the second-highest official in the organisation, directly under Abbas.
The new position was created following a resolution by the Central Council to establish the post of Deputy President of the PLO, amid growing concerns over leadership succession as Abbas, 89, advances in age.
Al-Sheikh, 64, has long been regarded as Abbas’s closest confidant. A native of Ramallah, he hails from a merchant family displaced from Deir Tarif during the 1948 Nakba. He is a father of six and a veteran member of Fatah's Central Committee and the PLO's Executive Committee. Since 2022, he has served as Secretary-General of the Executive Committee, effectively the organisation’s second-in-command.
Al-Sheikh's political career stretches back to the late 1970s, when he joined Fatah and was later imprisoned by Israeli authorities in 1978 at the age of 17. He spent 11 years behind bars for alleged involvement in a clandestine cell, during which time he learned Hebrew fluently.
In the 1990s, he rose through Fatah’s ranks, serving in the Palestinian security forces and eventually leading Fatah's operations in the West Bank. Since 2007, he has overseen the Civil Affairs Authority, managing sensitive coordination with Israeli authorities.
Following the death of chief negotiator Saeb Erekat in 2020, al-Sheikh was elevated further, taking over Erekat's former role in the PLO. His frequent presence alongside Abbas at international and regional summits has positioned him as a key player in Palestinian diplomacy.
However, his appointment has not been without backlash.
While many supporters of Fatah and Abbas’s camp praised the decision as necessary for stability, critics - including members of Fatah itself, as well as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front (DFLP), and the Palestinian People's Party - condemned it as a unilateral action.
They accused Abbas of bypassing democratic norms by not allowing the full PLO Executive Committee to choose the deputy.
Critics further argue that the move was carried out under external pressure, particularly from American and Arab powers, seeking an acceptable figure for post-Abbas leadership. They view the appointment as part of a broader plan for a controlled succession rather than a reflection of Palestinian national will.
"There was no consensus-building process," one political analyst in Ramallah said. "This is about entrenching control, not about revitalising the PLO."
Hamas issued a strong statement condemning the appointment, calling it a "reprehensible" move that entrenches "unilateralism and exclusion". The group accused Abbas of responding to foreign dictates rather than prioritising Palestinian unity.
In its statement, Hamas said: "Our people's priority today is stopping the aggression, genocide, and starvation in Gaza, not distributing authority positions to satisfy external actors."
Hamas urged all Palestinian factions to reject the appointment and called for rebuilding the PLO on national and democratic foundations that reflect the Palestinian people’s true will.
The PLO's executive committee is expected to meet again next Saturday to select a new secretary-general, a role left vacant with al-Sheikh's promotion.