On Monday, the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, issued a Presidential Decree stating that if he could not continue to perform his duties, and in the absence of the Palestinian Legislative Committee (Parliament), the position of Chairman of the Palestinian National Authority would be temporarily assumed by Hussein Sheikh, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (OLP).

In April this year, the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) approved the appointment of Hussein Sheikh as Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee.