Palestinian Fatah party re-elects Abbas as leader

The Palestinian leadership has chosen a failed and feeble leader to show them the way for another five years.  

The Palestinian Fatah political party on Tuesday unanimously re-elected Mahmoud Abbas as the head of the party for the next five years at the opening of its leadership congress, the first to be held since 2009.

The re-election of the 81-year-old Abbas, who also serves as president of the Palestinian Authority (PA), comes despite growing unpopularity and internal dissent within Palestinian society.

Abbas, who has held the post since 2004, has been increasingly challenged by other leaders, including exiled rival Mohammad Dahlan, who currently resides in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Abbas himself had very low approval ratings and is considered by the Palestinian street to be a corrupt dictator.

Some 1,400 members of Fatah gathered in Ramallah for the five-day conference, and later this week the delegates will hold elections to determine the party’s future.

There are no plans to designate a successor to Abbas, despite his advanced age and a history of health issues, and despite pressure from several Arab countries, the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, to do so.

The void in leadership could lead the PA to chaos and even a civil war in the event of his death.

None of Abbas’ key policies toward Israel are expected to change.

By: World Israel News Staff