Jibril Rajoub tops votes for Fatah central committee
Former Palestinian Authority security chief Jibril Rajoub, who won the most votes for membership of the ruling Palestinian Fatah party’s central committee Sunday, intends to create a new position as committee chairman, from which to launch his bid as front-runner to succeed Mahmoud Abbas. This is reported by DEBKAfile’s sources. Abbas has not so far indicated he intends to retire although he is 81 and has served for 11 years as Palestinian leader, without calling an election. None of the 18 new members represents Jerusalem, although the struggle against Israel’s control of the city and its shrines was presented by Fatah as the main cause of the latest wave of Palestinian terror.