A carefully orchestrated manoeuvre within the Palestinian Authority on Saturday saw the appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as “Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Vice President of the State of Palestine.”
This move, presented as a significant step toward transition, is in reality a calculated ruse by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas to project an image of reform to the international community, particularly Western governments and donors. It is a superficial reshuffling of loyalists that entrenches Abbas’s control, sidesteps genuine democratic processes and maintains the status quo of his autocratic rule.
Khaled Abu-Toameh, a senior distinguished fellow at the Gatestone Institute and a fellow of the Jerusalem Centre for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), said al-Sheikh’s appointment is nothing short of “musical chairs” and should not be taken seriously.
“Why do we assume that this is a new school of thought? This is someone from the young guard representing the old guard,” he said. “I wouldn't rush to celebrate.”
“The West is again falling for the same mistakes they made in the past,” he added.
The decision to appoint al-Sheikh, a 64-year-old confidant of Abbas, was framed as a formal elevation to the number two position in the PA leadership hierarchy. However, this was not a competitive or democratic process.
The nomination came from Abbas himself, and was swiftly approved by the 16-member PLO Executive Committee, which is stacked with Abbas loyalists and which he himself chairs.
For those who understand how the PA works, al-Sheikh’s appointment was hardly surprising. He has long been regarded as Abbas’s unofficial deputy, wielding significant influence as a key negotiator with Israel and a gatekeeper of PA patronage networks. His formal elevation offers no substantive change in policy, governance, or leadership dynamics.
Abbas, 89 years old and in the 20th year of a four-year presidential term, faces mounting pressure at home and abroad. Domestically, Palestinians are increasingly disillusioned with the PA’s corruption, ineffectiveness and lack of democratic legitimacy. Internationally, Western donors, particularly the United States and European Union, which provide critical financial support to the PA, have urged reforms and a clear succession plan to ensure stability in the post-Abbas era.
Al-Sheikh is not a reformist or an independent figure; he is one of Abbas’s closest allies, deeply embedded in the PA’s patronage system. As head of the PLO’s General Authority for Civil Affairs, al-Sheikh has been a key interlocutor with Israel on security coordination and a central figure in distributing PA resources. His elevation rewards loyalty rather than competence or public support, signalling that the PA’s priorities remain self-preservation and control, not governance or accountability.
As Abu Toameh pointed out, al-Sheikh’s new title is superficial as Abbas retains ultimate authority as PA president and PLO chairman. Al-Sheikh’s role is subordinate and ceremonial unless Abbas chooses to delegate power – an unlikely prospect given his history of centralizing control.
The PA leadership remains a closed circle of loyalists recycled through various titles. Al-Sheikh’s elevation is merely the latest iteration, following a pattern whereby Abbas appoints trusted allies to prominent roles but then distances them. This tactic allows Abbas to maintain control while creating the illusion of change, a strategy he has employed for decades to deflect criticism and sustain international support.
The appointment was designed to assuage Western concerns about reform and succession. By naming a deputy, Abbas is pretending to signal that the PA is preparing for a post-Abbas era. Al-Sheikh is a familiar and acceptable figure to the United States and European Union, making him a convenient choice to project continuity. However, this is a facade: the appointment changes nothing about the PA’s anti-Israel policies.
According to Abu Toameh, the West should see through this charade and demand real change such as elections, accountability, and inclusive governance.
Unfortunately, it appears Western governments are once again falling for the Palestinians’ ruse.
