Palestinian intel chief in 'important' talks with Trump admin amid PA reshuffle

Majed Faraj held 'important' meetings with senior US officials, including the CIA director and a number of senior security officials, according to reports.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

01 May, 2025

PA President Mahmoud Abbas has led a shakeup of the Palestinian leadership in recent months [Getty]

Palestinian General Intelligence Service (GIS) chief Majed Faraj has arrived in Washington, becoming the first senior Palestinian Authority figure to make an official visit to the United States since President Donald Trump's inauguration, Palestinian media reported.

Faraj held "important" meetings with senior US officials, including Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe and a number of senior security officials, according to the Palestinian Maan News Agency. The visit was not covered by the PA's official Wafa news agency.

The trip, which is primarily for a medical procedure, comes amid a shakeup of the Palestinian leadership by President Mahmoud Abbas, who recently appointed longtime ally Hussein al-Sheikh as deputy president of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).

Prior to this, Abbas had reshuffled several key posts, including the heads of the PA Security Forces, Preventative Security Service, police and civil defence. Faraj, who has thus far survived the reshuffle, is thought to be shoring up support from key international players to secure his position or ensure a favourable alternative if he is replaced.

In April, Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that President Abbas was preparing to replace the leadership of the GIS, including Faraj. The report added that Faraj could be reassigned to a role in the PLO or another arm of the Palestinian leadership.

Abbas, who serves as PA President and Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee, has long been under pressure from Arab and Western allies to reform the PA and ready it to take on an expanded role.

The recent appointment of al-Sheikh, however, was met with criticism from rival Palestinian factions. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, accused Abbas of bypassing democratic norms by not allowing the full PLO Executive Committee to choose the deputy.

Al-Sheikh, who was hand-picked by Abbas to serve as PLO deputy, is now seen as the 89-year-old's likely successor.