The appointment of al-Sheikh needs
to be seen in the context of Abbas's effort to dupe the international community
into believing that he is serious about reforming the PA and sharing power.
Abbas's main goal is to rid himself of the image of an autocrat and present
himself as a reformist and democrat, so that Western donors will continue to
pour money on him – foolishly with no conditions.
Those who think that al-Sheikh
would be different from Abbas are clueless. Al-Sheikh, a vteran member of
Abbas's ruling Fatah faction, is an exact replica of his boss. Abbas and he
share the same positions on almost every issue related to Israel. Both have
always used harsh rhetoric to condemn and vilify Israel, especially in the
international arena.
Al-Sheikh may not represent the old
guard in the Palestinian leadership, but his statements and positions reflect
those of Abbas and the old guard. The Palestinians need real reforms that will
end the corruption in PA institutions and remove corrupt and incompetent
officials. The last thing they need is a new game of musical chairs designed to
deceive both the Palestinians and the international community.
For full report by Khaled Abu Tomeh
see https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21577/palestinians-hussein-al-sheikh-musical-chairs
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