Palestine Approves Vice President's Position, Candidates Haven't Been Appointed

JAKARTA - The Palestinian Authority approved the establishment of a vice presidential office, perhaps a replacement for President Mahmoud Abbas, on Thursday, a move widely seen as necessary to ease international doubts over Palestinian leadership.

A statement published by state news agency WAFA said 170 members of the Palestinian Central Council, the Palestinian's highest decision-making body, voted in favor of the decision, while one member voted against it and the other abstained.

They have not immediately appointed someone for the role. According to the statement, President Abbas has the right to assign the representative, dismiss him from office, or accept his resignation.

President Abbas, 89, has led the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) since the death of veteran leader Yasser Arafat in 2004, but has for years rejected internal reforms, including his successor appointment.

It is known that the Western-backed Palestinian Authority has exercised limited power in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has not ruled Gaza since fighting with Hamas in 2007.