Fatah Elects Vice Chairman

The Fatah Central Committee on Wednesday elected Mahmoud al-Aloul to serve as the movement’s vice chairman, making him the first to hold the newly-created position.

The election of Aloul to a one-year term reportedly comes after weeks of disputes between Fatah members over the position, and two months since the newest central committee was elected at the 7th General Congress in December.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will determine the specific responsibilities of the vice chairman in the coming days, according to Abbas Zaki, a central committee member.

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Grant Rumley, a fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told the Post that while Aloul’s election may not be a game changer in terms of succession, it does introduce a new contender. “By virtue of his new position as No. 2 in Fatah, Aloul cannot be ignored or discounted in the race to replace Abbas,” Rumley said.

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