Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has named a temporary successor who would take over from him in the event of a power vacuum.
By doing so, President Abbas has addressed concerns of a possible power vacuum following his departure.
In a decree, the President said, “If the position of the president of the national authority becomes vacant in the absence of the legislative council, the Palestinian National Council president shall assume the duties… temporarily.”
The current chairman of the Palestinians’ top decision-making body is 75 year-old Rawhi Fattouh.
Fattouh also served briefly as a stop-gap leader following the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004.
He said that presidential elections should be held during 90 days.
This deadline can be extended in the event of a “force majeure,”
Abbas, 89, has been Palestinian President since 2005.
In recent years, he has had regular health problems which have led to speculation on who might replace him when he finally stands aside.
He does not have a deputy and a source told Reuters earlier this month that Saudi Arabia had pressed him to appoint one.
Wednesday’s announcement clears up uncertainty over what should happen when he dies, but Fattouh was not named as his deputy.
This means there was still no clarity on who might replace Abbas in the long term.
Israel’s Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a member of the inner security cabinet, told a group of foreign reporters this week that the Israeli army would take over the West Bank if someone from the militant group Hamas tried to become president.
Abbas was elected to a four-year term in 2005.
No presidential ballot has been held since then but he is now very unpopular.
According to a September opinion poll, 89% of Palestinians in the West Bank wanted him to resign.
Abbas has long been criticized for his administration’s corruption and his refusal to hold elections.
(With inputs from Reuters)
