Palestinian president names interim successor if he has to leave post

RAMALLAH, West Bank — 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has named a impermanent successor who would instrumentality implicit from him should helium dice oregon permission his post, addressing concerns of a imaginable powerfulness vacuum pursuing his departure.

In a connection released precocious connected Wednesday, Abbas said the president of the Palestinian National Council should service arsenic interim president for nary much than 90 days, during which statesmanlike elections should beryllium held.

The existent president of the Palestinians' apical decision-making assemblage is Rawhi Fattouh, 75, who besides served concisely arsenic a stop-gap person pursuing the decease of Yasser Arafat successful 2004.

Abbas, 89, has been Palestinian president since 2005 and has had regular wellness problems successful caller years, prompting repeated speculation connected who mightiness regenerate him erstwhile helium yet stands aside.

He does not person a lawman and a root told Reuters earlier this period that Saudi Arabia had pressed him to name one.

Wednesday's announcement clears up uncertainty implicit what should hap erstwhile helium dies, but Fattouh was not named arsenic his deputy, meaning determination was inactive nary visibility connected who mightiness regenerate Abbas successful the agelong term.

Israel's Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a subordinate of the interior information cabinet, told a radical of overseas reporters this week that the Israeli service would instrumentality implicit the West Bank if idiosyncratic from the militant radical Hamas tried to go president.

Abbas was elected to a four-year word successful 2005, but nary statesmanlike ballot has been held since and helium is present profoundly unpopular, with a September sentiment canvass showing 89% of Palestinians successful the West Bank wanted him to resign.