Palestinian officials vote to create a vice presidency under aging leader Abbas

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestine Liberation Organization on Thursday announced the creation of a vice presidency under 89-year-old leader Mahmoud Abbas, who has not specified a successor.

The PLO Central Council’s decision, after a two-day meeting, came as Abbas seeks greater relevance and a role in postwar planning for the Gaza Strip after having been largely sidelined by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.