Palestinian Fatah party members cast votes in ongoing internal leadership election

Fatah Leadership Elections Conclude with Unanimous Vote for Abbas as Chair

The eighth General Conference of the Palestinian group Fatah concluded on Saturday, but the results of the elections for its leadership bodies were not announced until Monday afternoon. The delay was attributed to Wael Lafi, head of the elections committee and legal advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Sixty candidates competed for 18 seats in the Central Committee, Fatah’s highest leadership body. Abbas was unanimously voted as chair ahead of the vote, foreshadowing the results of the elections and his tightening grip on power. The election results saw the replacement of half of the incumbent old guard, including all but one of Gaza’s representatives.

Abbas’s son Yasser was nominated and won a seat on the Central Committee, despite having no prior leadership position in Fatah. This development has raised questions about nepotism within the group. Other notable winners include Palestinian detainees Marwan Barghouti and Zakariya al-Zubaidi, who secured seats in the top leadership body.

The Revolutionary Council, which serves as Fatah’s legislator, also saw a significant number of insiders win seats. However, the absence of a representative from outside Palestine has raised concerns about the group’s commitment to inclusivity. The new Central Committee includes several technocrats and senior officials working in the Palestinian Authority.

The results have been described by some as a victory for Abbas, who is seen as having successfully subdued Fatah to his will. Others have expressed concern about the lack of representation from outside Palestine and the dominance of party insiders in the leadership.

Source: Al Jazeera