Senior Palestinian officials from the Fatah faction, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, have reportedly begun acquiring support from “armed operatives” in the West Bank, to secure their senior status once Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas steps-down. A Palestinian source told TV7 that the senior Fatah officials, including Abbas’s deputy, Mahmoud al-Aloul, the Commander of the General Intelligence Service Majed Faraj, and Jibril Rajoub – who was a close confidant of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat – are all contending for the post of President. The source explained that two possible scenarios are at play, either the power will be divided among the Fatah officials, or the West Bank will deteriorate into violence, and possibly another Palestinian civil war. As the officials are preparing for the anticipated battles for the position of Palestinian President, new alliances are being made within the senior leadership of the Fatah faction.
