Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a new deputy, Hussein Al-Sheikh, as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization, making him a front-runner to succeed Abbas. The move is seen as a major step by Abbas to designate a successor. Al-Sheikh, a veteran politician, has good working relations with Israel and the Palestinians' Arab allies, but is deeply unpopular with the general public. As Israel's war with Hamas continues, Al-Sheikh will face mounting pressure to unite the Palestinian leadership.