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Palestinian Politics After Abbas

September 01, 2016 College of Arts and Humanities | Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies

Palestinian Politics After Abbas

Paul Scham weighs in on Israeli-Palestinian relations in a post-Abbas era.

Paul Scham, executive director of the Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies, was one of three experts to discuss the current state of Palistinian politics and possible candidates to succeed Abbas in a comprehensive report created by the Britan Israel Communications and Research Centre. 

Scham noted that:

“The two previous Presidents of the Palestinian authority have filled two other jobs as well: head of Fatah and Chairman of the PLO.  Presumably, whoever succeeds Abbas will be chosen by Fatah and do the same.

“The President is simultaneously a semi-dictator combined with extreme impotence. He generally rules by decree and his favor makes or breaks officials.  On the other hand, squeezed by both Israel and Hamas, there is little he can actually do to ameliorate the Palestinian plight and is therefore likely to become, like Abbas, the object of popular derision.  Or, he could provoke a war with Israel.

“Of the half dozen likely candidates and a similar number of dark horses, there is none currently more likely to be chosen than the others.”

The responses of all three experts as well as the complete report are available on the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre website.