Mahmoud Abbas selects Rawhi Fattouh as his successor

In recent developments concerning Palestinian leadership, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, appointed Rawhi Fattouh as his successor in anticipation of Abbas's potential death or resignation due to health issues. Abbas's decision mirrors a previous arrangement made by Yasser Arafat, who designated Fattouh as a temporary leader during Arafat's period of incapacitation in 2004, prior to Abbas's rise as President. These actions reflect ongoing concerns about the political framework of the PA, which has experienced prolonged periods without presidential elections, with nearly two decades passing since the last electoral process. This trend of inaction has been attributed to Abbas's resistance against holding elections, partly due to the challenges posed by Israel regarding the voting in East Jerusalem, despite experts arguing that solutions could be found. The lack of elections has led to criticisms of the PA as a quasi-dictatorship maintaining limited control in the West Bank. Fattouh, despite his new title, faces significant challenges due to public perception of the PA's corruption stemming from past actions, such as incidents in the late 2000s where he was found smuggling mobile phones from Jordan utilizing his privileged access. As Fattouh prepares to assume a central role, the future stability of the Palestinian Authority hangs in the balance, contingent on the dynamics of internal leadership and external pressures they face.