Mahmoud Abbas : Ask Biography

Personal data

Date of birth

26 March 1935(age 81)

Place of birth

Safed, Mandate Palestine

Political party

Fatah

Spouse

Amina Abbas

Alma mater

University of Damascus
Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University

Religion

Sunni Islam

President of Palestine

Assumed office

15 January 2005*

Prime minister

Ahmad Qurei
Ismail Haniyeh
Salam Fayyad

Succeeded by

Aziz Duwaik*

Preceded by

Rawhi Fattouh (Acting)

Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization

Assumed office

11 November 2004

Preceded by

himself as acting Chairman

Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (acting)

In office

29 October 2004 - 11 November 2004

Succeeded by

himself

Preceded by

Yasser Arafat

Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority

In office

19 March 2003 - 6 September 2003

President

Yasser Arafat

Succeeded by

Ahmad Qurei

Preceded by

Position established

Home | Office Holder | Mahmoud Abbas

Mahmoud Abbas ( , ; born 26 March 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen ( , ), has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah (فتح Fataḥ) ticket.

Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally extended his term for another year and continues in office even after that second deadline expired. As a result of this, Fatah's main rival, the political party Hamas announced that it would not recognise the extension or view Abbas as rightful president. Abbas was chosen as the President of the State of Palestine by the Palestine Liberation Organisation's Central Council on 23 November 2008, a job he had held unofficially since 8 May 2005.

Abbas served as the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from March to October 2003 when he resigned citing lack of support from Israel and the United States as well as "internal incitement" against his government. Before being named prime minister, Abbas led the PLO's Negotiations Affairs Department.