Palestinian Union Boss Emerges as Power Broker
Union head Bassam Zakarneh, who has recently steered several mass strikes, is one of the most powerful men in the West Bank, Daoud Kuttab writes.
He is probably not very well known outside the territories of the state of Palestine, but if you ask almost any Palestinian, they would most likely know who Bassam Zakarneh is.
Technically, he is a member of the Revolutionary Council in Fatah. But ask any Fatah activist and they will say that he is much more powerful than most members of the central committee — the highest body in this liberation movement.
Zakarneh’s strength, of course, is not directly from Fatah, although he is also well-liked by Fatah, especially at the grassroots level.
The head of the public workers union in Palestine wields amazing powers to stop the workings of any and all public institutions run by the Palestinian government.
