Overview
- The constitutional declaration assigns the vice president to assume presidential duties for up to 90 days, with direct elections required in that period.
- A single extension of the interim term may be approved by the Palestinian Central Council if elections are not feasible due to exceptional circumstances.
- The new order revokes an earlier designation that would have temporarily installed Palestinian National Council chief Rawhi Fattouh.
- The arrangement bypasses the Basic Law’s default succession by the Legislative Council speaker because the PLC has not functioned since Hamas took Gaza in 2007.
- Hussein Al‑Sheikh, a veteran Fatah figure known for coordination with Israel and elevated to vice president in April, is cast as a continuity choice as analysts question whether genuinely competitive elections will occur.