Many Fatah activists believe this brings him significantly closer to leading the PA, though the ultimate decision will come through transparent presidential elections.

Senior Fatah officials view this as the start of a new era, shifting away from the founding generation's three-decade dominance. Al-Sheikh’s appointment was approved by Fatah’s Central Committee and the PLO’s governing bodies.

Al-Sheikh’s rise was rapid: appointed in 2022 to replace Saeb Erekat in the PLO Executive Committee, he soon became secretary of the committee and head of negotiations, strengthening his leadership position. Over the past two years, he has become Abbas’ closest confidant, leading key talks with Israel, the U.S., and Arab states.

Al-Sheikh is seen as pragmatic and open to negotiations with Israel, advocating for diplomacy and non-violent resistance. He maintains strong ties with Israel's security services, the CIA, Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf states. He supports reforms within the PA while considering its survival a critical national achievement.

However, two major challenges threaten his succession:

Internal Fatah opposition: Senior figures like Jibril Rajoub, Mahmoud Aloul, Marwan Barghouti, Tawfiq Tirawi, and Mohammad Shtayyeh oppose him and could leverage armed militias to block his presidential candidacy.

Hamas opposition: Hamas rejected the creation of the new deputy role, accusing the PLO of monopolizing national decision-making, and boycotted the meetings that ratified al-Sheikh’s promotion.

Israeli security officials warn the PA succession battle could spiral into civil war after Abbas' departure. They believe al-Sheikh, known for his political savvy, must forge alliances within Fatah and Hamas to maintain security and secure his leadership — relying heavily on U.S. and Israeli support to counter threats and prevent violence.