PA Chairman Abu Mazen will present for the first time to President Joe Biden his designated successor, Hussein a-Sheikh, so that he can receive the blessing of the road from him. Fatah Secretary General Jabril Rajoub warns against an attempt by “outsiders” to shape the Palestinian regime and says that the PA chairman will be determined only in a democratic process of elections.
President Biden’s visit to East Jerusalem and Bethlehem over the weekend is of great concern to the Palestinian leadership, which has discussed it, conducted a situation assessment, and even decided that despite its disappointment with President Biden’s unfulfilled promises, it would not disrupt the visit. This is one of the reasons why the PA chairman met with Defense Minister Bnei Gantz in Ramallah to coordinate with him the security measures needed for a visit to Biden to proceed in peace.
A visit to Biden in East Jerusalem and Bethlehem over the weekend is of great concern to the Palestinian leadership, which discussed it, conducted a situation assessment and even decided that despite its disappointment with its unfulfilled promises, it would not disrupt the visit.
This visit is also very important in terms of the battle of succession. Senior Fatah sources say that PA Chairman Abu Mazen is due to present to the US President for the first time his designated successor, Hussein a-Sheikh, who was recently appointed secretary general of the PLO Executive Committee.
President Biden has received a full report on Hussein al-Sheikh from CIA chief William Burns who supports him, and he is supposed to give the presidential seal to Abu Mazen’s move.
Hussein a-Sheikh also enjoys the support of Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar as the designated successor of Abu Mazen.
However, Hussein a-Sheikh’s opponents in the battle for the inheritance, led by his rival, Mr. Jabril Rajoub, the secretary general of the Fatah movement, do not intend to sit quietly. Ahead of President Biden’s visit to Bethlehem and signal to President Biden that they will not agree to the appointment of Hussein a – Sheikh as Abu Mazen’s successor.
Fatah Secretary General Jabril Rajoub, who considers himself the successor to Abu Mazen, has lost his position as chairman of the MPC in favor of Ruchi Open. He is disappointed and angry at the new appointments at the top of the PLO, especially that of his bitter rival Hussein a-Sheikh.
Rajoub has maintained a thunderous silence in recent months for fear of a confrontation with the PA chairman to secure his future at the top of the new Fatah, but ahead of President Biden’s visit decided to break it.
Regov has maintained a thunderous silence in recent months for fear of a confrontation with the PA chairman to secure his future at the top of the new Fatah, but ahead of President Biden’s visit decided to break it
In an interview with the Saudi television channel Al-Sharq on July 7, Jabril Rajoub first criticized PA Chairman Abu Mazen for canceling the general elections in the territories in May 2021 for fear of a Fatah defeat to Hamas. In the parliamentary elections, and for fear of his personal defeat against Marwan Barghouti in the presidential election.
The PA chairman then justified this by claiming that Israel opposes holding elections in East Jerusalem and therefore cannot be held.
In an interview with the Saudi channel “Al-Sharq”, Jabril Rajoub said:
“We are paying the price for postponing the general election and everyone understands that the decision to postpone them was a mistake.”
In an interview, Rajoub also gave a thick hint to Israel and the Biden administration about their support for Hussein a-Sheikh as Abu Mazen’s successor, saying:
“We will not allow external forces to shape the Palestinian political regime. No one will reach the top of the Palestinian hierarchy without a democratic process (of elections).”
Fatah secretary general Jabril Rajoub of the Saudi al-Sharq channel warns of an attempt by “external elements” to shape the Palestinian regime and says that the next PA chairman will be determined only in a democratic election process.
Jibril Rajoub, Secretary of the “Fatah” Movement Committee to “Al-Sharq”: Biden’s visit does not bear my seriousness… https://t.co/UKwWSUHEdx דרך @YouTube
– Yoni Ben Menachem (@yonibmen) July 11, 2022
Rajoub also expressed concern in a scenario interview of “external forces” intervening in establishing the split between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, stressing that after President Biden’s visit to the PA, “all possibilities are open” and that The Palestinian leadership will discuss the implementation of the decisions of the PLO Central Committee regarding the suspension of recognition of Israel and security coordination with it.
“We will not give up and we will not raise a white flag,” Rajoub stressed.
Rajoub also expressed concern in a scenario interview of “external forces” intervening in establishing the split between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, stressing that after President Biden’s visit to the PA, “all possibilities are open.”
Jabril Rajoub, who was the commander of the Preventive Intelligence In the West Bank, has more power on the ground and armed activists have removed him, but Hussein a-Sheikh is more cunning and shrewd than he is. Al-Sheikh is well versed in the taps of Palestinian politics and has managed to gain the trust of PA Chairman Abu Mazen. He has done the same in the past against Yasser Arafat and has successfully survived all of Jabril Rajoub’s attempts to eliminate him politically during Arafat’s time.
The battle for succession in the PA is heating up
Jabril Rajoub, who was the commander of the West Bank’s Preventive Intelligence Corps, has more power on the ground and armed activists removed from him, but Hussein al-Sheikh is more cunning and shrewd than he is. Abu Mazen. pic.twitter.com/xoRNVOO81y
– Yoni Ben Menachem (@yonibmen) July 11, 2022
Hussein a-Sheikh’s loyal ally is General Majed Faraj, who has 30,000 armed security personnel in the West Bank.
PA Chairman Abu Mazen is very suspicious. He sees Jabril Rajoub as a “tireless subversive” who cannot be trusted. His main concern at the end of his life is who will protect him and the economic empire he established for his two sons as soon as he steps down from the political stage. He concluded that Hussein a-Sheikh and the head of General Intelligence, Majed Faraj, could be trusted more than Jabril Rajoub or his deputy, Mahmoud El-Alul, in the Fatah movement. Their loyalty to Abu Mazen is greater.
A senior Fatah official says: “Jabril Rajoub has a reputation in the Fatah movement of one who betrays his friends and is loyal only to his own interests.”
It is very important for Gibrel to “stay on the wheel” of the Fatah leadership as a member of the Central Committee. The 8th Fatah conference is scheduled to take place soon, at which the Fatah leadership will be re-elected. He is therefore careful not to confront him and the winners are Hussein a-Sheikh and Majed Faraj.
The 8th Fatah conference is scheduled to take place soon, at which the Fatah leadership will be re-elected. Rajoub is completely dependent on Abu Mazen to maintain his status, so he is careful not to confront him, and the winners are a-Sheikh and Farage
Other senior Fatah figures, such as Mahmoud El-Alul and Tawfiq Tirawi, hold the same esteem and tactics led by Jabril Rajoub.
Hussein a-Sheikh and Majed Faraj managed to neutralize Jabril Rajoub’s political power and influence over Abu Mazen. Rajoub was the one who, together with Saleh al-Aruri, the deputy head of the Hamas political bureau, initiated the reconciliation talks in Istanbul between Fatah and Hamas.
According to Fatah sources, they proved to Abu Mazen that this whole move by Rajoub stemmed from personal reasons and was intended to promote Rajoub to the position of Palestinian RAF chairman, as he plans to use this position as a springboard to the position of PA chairman. Mahmoud Abbas halted the reconciliation process with Hamas and eventually appointed his open-minded associate to the post of chairman of the RAF and landed a painful political blow on Rajoub’s head.
Hussein a-Sheikh and Majed Faraj placed themselves at the forefront of the PA’s war against Hamas versus Jabril Rajoub who claims there is no choice and must share the “cake of power” with Hamas for national reconciliation and the struggle against Israel.
Al-Sheikh and Faraj believe that Hamas is not really interested in national reconciliation and that it is using this slogan to undermine PA rule in the West Bank and to overthrow and take over the PLO. According to them, Jabril Rajoub knows this but he hopes to win popular support and Hamas support for the post of PA chairman.
The two managed to torpedo Jabril Rajoub’s intention to be appointed chairman of the MPC. Rajoub accuses in closed talks that Israel and the United States were behind this move in order to appoint Palestinian figures in the leadership who are comfortable with them, So as to advance Israeli-American interests.
Hussein a-Sheikh and Majed Faraj succeeded in convincing Abu Mazen to torpedo Jabril Rajoub’s intention to be appointed chairman of the Malp, Rajoub accuses in closed talks that Israel and the US were behind this move to To appoint Palestinian figures in the leadership who are comfortable with them who will advance the Israeli-American interests, pic.twitter.com/v9fMebj8Wg
– Yoni Ben Menachem (@yonibmen) July 11, 2022
Fatah sources claim that in closed-door talks, Jabril Rajoub accuses Hussein a-Sheikh of being an “agent of Israel.” The Israeli nicknamed “Gabriel Regev” and that when Rajoub served as head of the Preventive Intelligence Unit in the West Bank, he handed over to the Israeli GSS the Hamas terrorist cell from the village of Zurif.
Fatah sources claim that in closed-door talks, Jabril Rajoub accuses Hussein a-Sheikh of being an “agent of Israel.” The Israeli nicknamed “Gabriel Regev”
The battle of succession is just beginning and is expected to intensify in the coming months.