Palestinians Mark 78th Nakba Anniversary as Reports Say Yasser Abbas Gains Political Role

On May 15, Palestinians marked the 78th Nakba Anniversary, commemorating what Palestinians describe as the “Nakba” or “catastrophe,” referring to the displacement of an estimated 750,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war surrounding the creation of the state of Israel.

“Palestinians Mark 78th Nakba Anniversary as Reports Emerge of Mahmoud Abbas’s Son’s Rising Political”

Arab Times Kuwait News

The Arab Times Kuwait News said this year’s commemoration in the Gaza Strip came amid ongoing conflict and marked the third Nakba Day observed since the latest Gaza war began.

Arab Times Kuwait News

In the northern West Bank, the same article said tens of thousands of Palestinians remain displaced after Israeli military operations targeted refugee camps, with many communities now entering their 15th month away from their homes.

Alongside the commemorations, Arab Times Kuwait News reported that political developments within the Palestinian leadership drew attention to possible succession dynamics within the Palestinian Authority, including reports that Yasser Abbas is being positioned for a greater political role despite holding no formal office within the Palestinian Authority.

The article also said recent official communications described meetings between Yasser Abbas and senior Palestinian officials, including the head of the Palestinian police, the governor of the central bank, and the leadership of the pension authority.

DW reported that sources told Reuters it is expected that Mahmoud Abbas's son, the 90-year-old president of the Palestinian Authority, will run for a leadership post in Fatah amid a looming struggle for control of the authority facing a succession of crises.

DW said Yasir Abbas, a billionaire businessman, runs tobacco and contracting companies in parts of the occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule, and that critics accuse him and his brother Tariq of exploiting public funds to support their business ventures, charges they deny.

DW

DW added that sources familiar with Yasir's plans say he is expected to seek one of 18 seats on the Central Committee of Fatah, contested at the movement's conference in Ramallah in the West Bank from May 14 to 16.

DW quoted Sabri Sidam, elected to the Central Committee in the last Fatah conference in 2016, saying, "I actually hope and personally that we will see renewal in the leadership and renewal in the capacity for action."

DW also included criticism from within Fatah, including a Reuters-quoted Palestinian political analyst Reham Odeh saying, "This does not solve the problem of the Palestinian people's frustration who have not witnessed any democratic elections since 2006."

The New York Times reported that Mahmoud Abbas, 90, has been positioning his son, Yasser, for a senior leadership role in Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority, according to six Palestinian officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“TrumpAdministration Advertisement Supported by Mahmoud Abbas’s years in power have been dogged by accusations of corruption”

New York Times

The New York Times said Abbas’s presidential term technically ended in 2009 but he has since canceled elections, and it quoted Hani al-Masri saying, “We’re dealing with the rule of an individual,” referring to Abbas.

The New York Times also reported that for many Palestinians, Abbas’s push to elevate his son shows he has no intention of loosening his hold on power or satisfying a public yearning for new leadership.

In parallel, Arab Times Kuwait News said critics among Palestinian commentators and anti-corruption groups called for clarification from the independent watchdog Aman, which questioned the transparency of the designation.

Arab Times Kuwait News reported that critics argue Yasser Abbas’s increasing visibility within official circles reflects broader concerns about political succession within the Palestinian Authority, particularly given President Mahmoud Abbas’s age and the absence of elections for nearly two decades.