Hussein al-Sheikh
Vice President of Palestine since 2025
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hussein al-Sheikh (Arabic: حسين الشيخ; born 14 December 1960) is a Palestinian politician who has served as the first vice president of Palestine since 26 April 2025.[1] He has also served as the secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 25 May 2022 to 26 April 2025.[2]
Hussein al-Sheikh | |
|---|---|
حسين الشيخ | |
Al-Sheikh in 2022 | |
| 1st Vice President of Palestine | |
| Assumed office 26 April 2025 | |
| President | Mahmoud Abbas |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Vice Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization | |
| Assumed office 26 April 2025 | |
| Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization | |
| In office 25 May 2022 – 26 April 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Saeb Erekat |
| Succeeded by | Azzam al-Ahmad |
| President of the General Authority for Civil Affairs | |
| In office 2007 – 20 February 2025 | |
| President | Mahmoud Abbas |
| Prime Minister | Salam Fayyad Rami Hamdallah Mohammad Shtayyeh Mohammad Mustafa |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Dahlan (as Minister of Civil Affairs) |
| Succeeded by | Ayman Qandil |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 December 1960 |
| Party | Fatah |
| Website | Official website |
Biography
Hussein al-Sheikh was born in Ramallah on 14 December 1960 during a period of the Jordanian annexation of the West Bank.[3] He spent 11 years in Israeli prisons during his youth, during which he learned Hebrew.[4]
Political career
Al-Sheikh headed the General Authority of Civil Affairs of the Palestinian National Authority from 2007 to 2025. He was first elected as a member of the Central Committee of Fatah in 2008.[5]
On 25 June 2022, the Executive Committee of the PLO reaffirmed al-Sheikh as secretary general and head of the Negotiations Affairs Department of the PLO.[6]
On 25 April 2025, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of Palestine, appointed al-Sheikh as Vice President and deputy chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO.[1] Al-Sheikh's appointment was controversial, with many Palestinians seeing him as unpopular, corrupt, and too close to Israel.[7][8][9]
