Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appointed a close aide as the first ever vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Saturday, positioning him as a potential successor to the veteran leader.
Hussein al-Sheikh was appointed by Abbas, 89, after the vice presidency position was created during a convention held in Ramallah this week.
The new post follows years of international pressure to reform the PLO and comes as Arab and Western powers envision an expanded role for Abbas' Palestinian Authority (PA) in the postwar governance of the Gaza Strip.
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