The Palestinian street is following closely the leaking of the protocols of the investigation committee into the circumstances of Yasser Arafat’s death, which has been operating since 2009 without having finished its work, but collected testimonies from more than 300 witnesses who were close to Yasser Arafat.
Senior officials in Fatah claim that the main beneficiary of the affair is Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the PLO’s excutive committee, the designated successor of PA chairman Abu Mazen
. and a member of the Fatah leadership
The position of al-Tirawi who saw himself as a potential successor to the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Abu Mazen was completely shaken , following the accusations against him that he was the one who leaked the protocols to the media, He was forced to freeze his membership in the central committee of Fatah after the chairman of the PA removed him from the headship of “Al Istiklal” University in Jericho and removed his personal security.
Last night, Fatah’s central committee appointed Muhammad al-Madani to the position of responsible for the popular organizations on behalf of the Fatah movement in place of Tawfiq al-Tirawi and the erosion of his status continues.
Tawfik al-Tirawi’s associates accuse Hussein Alsheikh and Majed Faraj, the head of the General Intelligence in an attempt to eliminate him politically in order to neutralize his power in the succession battle.
According to them, in recent months they managed to convince the chairman of the PA, Abu Mazen, that al-Tiravi is plotting against him and his associates, the leaking of the protocols of the investigative committee was a sophisticated move, it personally hurt PA chairman Abu Mazen, who is now pictured in the Palestinian street As someone who conspired against Yasser Arafat and was responsible for his death.
Hussein al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj managed to convince Abu Mazen that al-Tirawi is the leaker who, through the leak, is trying to prevent his removal from the Fatah movement and to create a balance of fear and deterrence vis-a-vis the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen.
Senior officials in Fatah blame the Hussein al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj of launching the campaign of incitement against Tawfiq al-Tirawi on social networks and supporting the campaign of defamation by the members of Fatah’s Central Committee.
Hussain al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj deny the accusations of Tawfiq al-Tirawi who received a serious blow to his position in Fatah movement and on the Palestinian Street.
Al-Tirawi now presents himself as the victim of a political conspiracy and claims that the protocols of the investigative committee he chaired were hacked by hackers or stolen and that PA security officials should investigate and find out who is responsible for the leaks.
According to him, when the leaks began, he contacted one of the Palestinian security chiefs to complain and offer help in locating the source of the leak, but he got no response.
The campaign against Tawfiq Al-Tirawi has been going on for about six months and sources in Fatah movement say that he is finished politically and that this is another clear victory for Hussein al-Sheikh in the battle of succession.
Hussein al-Sheikh recently visited Washington and met with senior administration officials after receiving the green light from President Biden during his last visit to Bethlehem to be Abu Mazen’s designated successor, with the consent of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar.
Hussein al-Sheikh’s position has strengthened and Fatah officials fear that they too will be harmed by him as part of the succession battle.
Soon the eighth conference of the Fatah movement will be convened to elect the leadership of the movement and its institutions, and there Hussein al-Sheikh is planning further political eliminations of his opponents with full backing of PA Chairman Abu Mazen.
