It’s an open secret among Palestinians that Hussein al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj have in recent months become the most powerful leaders in the Palestinian Authority.
Sheikh, 60, and Faraj, 59, belong to the young guard leadership of the Palestinians. The two have, over the past few years, become the most trusted aides of 86-year-old Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the PA.
Sheikh and Faraj accompany Abbas to almost every meeting he holds in Ramallah and around the world.
“They are very close to President Abbas,” said a former PA official. “The president trusts them more than anyone else.”
Palestinians in Ramallah on Monday described the two as the “de facto leaders” of the PA and said they have more power than any other Palestinian officials.
Some described Sheikh as the real prime minister, while others said they considered Faraj a defense minister.
Sheikh, an elected member of the Fatah Central Committee, has been led the General Authority of Civil Affairs since 2007. In this capacity, he is in charge of coordination between the PA and Israel on civilian matters in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Detained several times by Israeli authorities in the 70’s and 80’s, Sheikh maintains strong relations with many Israeli security and civilian officials.
After the death of former PLO chief Saeb Erekat, who negotiated with Israel in November 2020, Sheikh seemed to replace him as one of the main spokesmen of the PA, particularly regarding issues related to the stalled peace process with Israel.
Two senior Palestinian officials told The Jerusalem Post that Sheikh was now serving as a top political adviser to Abbas.
FARAJ, head of the PA General Intelligence Service since 2009, has also become in recent years a major player in the Palestinian arena. Like Sheikh, he is also a trusted confidant of Abbas.
Born in Dehaishe refugee camp near Bethlehem, Faraj was also detained by Israeli security authorities for different periods in the 70’s and 80’s.
Faraj is also said to have developed close connections with Israeli security and civilian officials. In addition, he is in charge of coordinating contacts between PA security forces and the US and other international parties.
“Faraj and al-Sheikh are close friends,” said a Palestinian political analyst in Ramallah. “The two are considered allies, but they have also made many enemies, especially among Fatah leaders who see themselves as natural successors to Abbas.”
The Sheikh-Faraj alliance and their close links to Abbas are seen as a blow to two senior Fatah officials: Jibril Rajoub and Mahmoud al-Aloul.
Rajoub, Secretary-General of Fatah, and Aloul, its deputy chairman, have long been touted as potential successors to Abbas.
“Hussein al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj are the rising stars,” the analyst told the Post. “They are much more powerful and influential than Rajoub and al-Aloul. They have the president’s ear and enjoy good relations with the Israelis and Americans, unlike Rajoub and al-Aloul.”
Some Palestinians claimed that Abbas was now “under the control” of Sheikh and Faraj.
“President Abbas will literally do anything they tell him to do,” said a veteran Fatah official. “They are very powerful, thanks to their connections with Israel and the US. If the Israelis and Americans want something from the Palestinian Authority, they know who to call: Hussein al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj.”
The two are also known for their opposition to any form of rapprochement between the PA and Hamas, an initiative strongly supported by Rajoub and other Fatah leaders. This means that as long as Sheikh and Faraj continue to hold senior positions in the PA, the possibility of ending the Fatah-Hamas dispute will remain zero.
If the two come to power in the post-Abbas era, then Israel, the US and the European Union can breathe a great sigh of relief. Sheikh and Faraj are committed to the resumption of the peace process – and, more importantly, they believe in continued security and civilian coordination with Israel.