The son of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won a seat on Fatah’s top decision-making body on Sunday, as initial results emerged from the Palestinian movement’s first congress in years.<\/p>\n
\nYasser Abbas, 64, a businessman who spends most of his time in Canada, secured a place on the central committee after being appointed around five years ago as his father’s “special representative” – a role that marked his gradual emergence on the political scene.<\/p>\n
\nJailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti topped the preliminary results, retaining his seat on the committee with the highest number of votes, according to figures seen by AFP.<\/p>\n
\nJibril Rajoub was reelected as the secretary-general of the committee, retaining the seat he has held since 2017.<\/p>\n
\nPalestinian vice president Hussein Al-Sheikh, Fatah deputy leader Mahmoud Al-Aloul and ex-Palestinian intelligence chief Tawfiq Tirawi also held their seats on the body.<\/p>\n
\nAmong the newcomers was Zakaria Zubeidi, 50, a former commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades — Fatah’s armed wing in the Jenin refugee camp — who was freed from Israeli prison last year under a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.<\/p>\n
\nTwo women also won seats, including Ramallah governor Laila Ghannam.<\/p>\n
\nThe three-day congress, held simultaneously across Ramallah, Gaza, Cairo and Beirut, drew 2,507 voters — a turnout of 94.64 percent, organisers said.<\/p>\n
\nFifty-nine candidates competed for 18 seats on the central committee, while 450 vied for 80 seats on the revolutionary council, the party’s parliament.<\/p>\n
\nCounting for the council was still under way.<\/p>\n
\nThe congress opened Thursday, with Abbas being reelected as head of the movement.
\nIn his opening address, he vowed to pursue reforms and hold long-delayed presidential and parliamentary elections.<\/p>\n