Cairo: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced plans to create a vice president position and issue a general amnesty for all dismissed members of his Fatah movement. This announcement was made during an emergency Arab summit in Egypt focused on the reconstruction of Gaza.
According to Anadolu Agency, Abbas declared, “We have decided to create and appoint a vice president for the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the State of Palestine.” He emphasized the importance of unity within the Fatah movement by granting amnesty to its dismissed members. Additionally, Abbas expressed readiness to conduct general elections, both presidential and legislative, within the next year, conditions permitting. These elections would encompass Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
Abbas also mentioned plans to convene the Palestinian Central Council soon, although a specific date was not provided. The council, which is a permanent body derived from the Palestinian National Council, holds certain delegated powers and plays a significant role in Palestinian governance.
These decisions come in the aftermath of Abbas’s “constitutional declaration” in November 2024, which outlined that the chairman of the Palestinian National Council, currently Rawhi Fattouh, would temporarily assume the presidency in the event of a vacancy.
The context of these developments is a backdrop of severe conflict, with nearly 48,400 Palestinians killed and more than 111,000 injured since October 2023 due to an intense Israeli military assault on Gaza. The onslaught, which devastated the enclave, was paused following a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement effective from January 19.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza persists, exacerbated by Israel’s halt on the entry of aid into the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to negotiate the second phase of a ceasefire with Hamas has further strained the situation. In response to the escalation, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.