CAIRO – 27 April 2025: Egypt welcomed on Sunday the appointment of the outgoing Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Hussein Al-Sheikh as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Vice President of Palestine.
This move, supported by Egypt, aligns with the reform initiatives of the Palestinian Authority that were outlined during the Extraordinary Arab Summit held in Cairo on March 4, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement.
It is seen as a step toward reinforcing Palestinian unity and advancing the restoration of the rights of the Palestinian people during a pivotal moment in their national cause, the statement added.
Egypt reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people in their just struggle to end the Israeli occupation, exercise their right to self-determination, and establish an independent state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Egypt also remained committed to its efforts to restore a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and support early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza—critical to alleviating the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the statement said.
In this context, Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration, extended his congratulations to Al-Sheikh during a phone call, wishing him success in his new role.
He expressed confidence in Al-Sheikh’s efforts, alongside those of the Palestinian Authority, to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people during this decisive phase in their history.
Hussein Al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), has been appointed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the Deputy Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and Palestinian Vice President.
The appointment was approved by the PLO Executive Committee, which is chaired by President Abbas, during a meeting held on Saturday.
The Executive Committee is scheduled to convene again next Saturday to select a successor to Al-Sheikh for the position of Secretary-General from among its members.
Al-Sheikh, born in Ramallah in the West Bank in 1960, was elected Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee in 2022. He became a member of the Fatah Central Committee in 2009 during its sixth conference in Bethlehem and was re-elected in 2016.
Since 2016, Al-Sheikh has also served as a member of the National Dialogue Committee, which oversees reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas. He was imprisoned in Israeli jails from 1978 to 1989, serving a total of 11 years.
Sun, Apr. 27, 2025
