Abbas comes out of Fatah congress stronger than ever
The Fatah seventh congress concluded without any changes: Mahmoud Abbas strengthened his position within the movement, and the former leaders remained in their positions.
![PALESTINIANS-FATAH/ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gestures as he speaks during Fatah congress in the West Bank city of Ramallah November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RTSU1YF](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2016/12/RTSU1YF.jpg/RTSU1YF.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=NgXEt2HI)
RAMALLAH, West Bank — With a standing ovation, Fatah’s seventh congress, which was held Nov. 29, re-elected President Mahmoud Abbas as head of the Fatah movement for another term of five years without conducting a ballot, as the conference had already been purged of most of his opponents.
The final results of the elections of the Central Committee, which is seen as Fatah’s executive branch and its top leadership body, maintained the membership of the most prominent names that are close to Abbas, namely Jibril Rajoub, Hussein Sheikh, Mohammed Madani, Mahmoud Aloul, Azzam al-Ahmed, Saeb Erekat and Jamal Muheisen.