Palestinian President Abbas pledges elections and reform at Fatah congress
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been unanimously re-elected leader of the Fatah movement and pledged to hold general elections and internal party reforms. The process is being watched for its impact on regional peace efforts.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been unanimously re-elected leader of the Fatah movement at its general congress. In his address, Abbas pledged to hold general elections and pursue internal party reforms.
Al Jazeera reports the 90-year-old leader said he aimed to institutionalise the Palestinian political process and open leadership tiers to younger figures. The reaction of other Palestinian factions, including Hamas, will help shape the outcome.
Western diplomats are watching whether the reform package can prepare the ground for talks linked to Donald Trump's peace plan. Former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov has separately warned that prolonged uncertainty could increase the risk of permanent division between Gaza and the West Bank.
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