Today's Edition
Ramallah (AFP)
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appointed a close aide as the first ever vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Saturday, according to a member of the organisation's executive committee.
"Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appointed Hussein Al Sheikh as a deputy (vice president) of the PLO leadership," Wasel Abu Yousef said, in a move that positions Sheikh as a potential successor to veteran leader Abbas.
Abbas, 89, created the vice presidency position during a convention held in Ramallah this week.
It follows years of international pressure to reform the PLO and comes as Arab and Western powers envision an expanded role for Abbas's Palestinian Authority (PA).
Sheikh, 64, is a veteran leader of Abbas's Fatah movement, which dominates the PA, and is considered close to the president.
