Palestinian Authority Spy Chief to Meet With U.S. Counterparts as Abbas Handpicks Possible Successor

Latest Developments

• First Visit During New Trump Administration: Palestinian Authority (PA) intelligence chief Majed Faraj is expected to meet with CIA officials in Washington this week in his first visit since the start of the second Trump administration, Israeli media reported on April 28. Ramallah froze diplomatic relations with the United States during the first Trump administration after the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017. Widely regarded as a pragmatist, Faraj previously enjoyed a close relationship with PA President Mahmoud Abbas until Abbas blamed him for the recent unsuccessful attempt by PA security forces to rein in terrorist activity in the West Bank.
• Abbas Appoints Vice President: Abbas formally appointed his longtime confidant, 64-year-old Hussein al-Sheikh, to the newly created position of vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on April 26, making him the frontrunner to succeed the 89-year-old. Al-Sheikh had been serving as the secretary-general of the PLO’s Executive Committee since 2022, maintaining working relations with Israeli officials and foreign leaders who view him as a pragmatist. However, the appointment was met with backlash from elements within the PLO, which criticized the announcement as bypassing the full PLO Executive Committee.
• IDF Continues to Arrest Terrorists in West Bank: The IDF announced on April 27 that it had arrested 75 wanted individuals and confiscated more than 40 weapons during the previous week of operations. The IDF also stated that its forces arrested a man who was planning to carry out a terrorist attack in the West Bank town of Qalqilya. Israel began widespread anti-terror operations in the West Bank on January 21, following the failure of an anti-terrorist operation by PA security forces.  

FDD Expert Response

“With an old, ailing, and deeply unpopular Abbas, the Palestinians are hungry for new leadership. The installment of Abbas’s top aide, al-Sheikh, though a move in the right direction, will likely be perceived by West Bankers as more of the same unpopular regime and not the new guard they’ve been hoping for.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“For too long, Palestinian leaders have promised their people pipe dreams only to drag them through living nightmares. The Palestinians need leaders who are competent, pragmatic, and honest and who are popular and strong enough to resist Hamas and its supporters. Majed Faraj’s willingness to work with Washington and Jerusalem are positive signs amid decades of Palestinian political decay.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

“Since the launch of the IDF’s large-scale counterterrorism operation in the West Bank in January, there has been a measurable impact on the ground. Although the threat of terrorism has not been entirely eradicated, Israel has significantly curtailed the ability of armed groups such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas to carry out attacks. These latest arrests are a positive outcome for Israel and will likely encourage the continuation and expansion of IDF operations aimed at dismantling the terrorist infrastructure that these groups have established in the territory over recent years.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

FDD Background and Analysis

“‘Sons of Dogs’: Palestinian Authority President Lambasts Hamas, Calls for Release of Israeli Hostages,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Neither Hamas Nor the Palestinian Authority’: Netanyahu Rejects Reports of Gaza Power Transfer,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israeli Special Forces Kill Hamas Terrorist in West Bank Shootout,” FDD Flash Brief

“Palestinian terrorist groups react to Israel’s latest West Bank operation,” by Joe Truzman