The President of the Palestinian Authority is the highest-ranking political position (equivalent to head of state) in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The term

The Arabic term ra'ees or ra'is (رئيس) can be translated to English as either "president" or "chairman". As the status of Palestine as a political entity is controversial, the use of the term "President" to describe the leader of the Palestinian government controversial to some, as its use may be seen to imply a recognition of state sovereignty. The use of the term "Chairman" is controversial for the opposite reason -- its use may be seen to imply denial of Palestinian aspirations for statehood. [1]]

The Arabic term was used in the English text of the 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip [2], part of the Oslo accords which established the PNA. In practice, when referring to the ra'ees in English documents and statements, the PNA uses the term "president", whereas Israel uses "chairman".

The United States, in its role as peace broker, uses several different terms according to context. News releases from its embassy in Israel refer to the PNA "chairman"; press briefings in Washington use "president"; both occasionally avoid the issue with "Palestinian leader". The international English-language press mostly (but not always) follows the Palestinian terminology. Israeli press simply refers to the leader by name alone.

List of Presidents

• July 5, 1994 - November 11, 2004: Yasser Arafat
• November 11, 2004 - January 15, 2005: Rauhi Fattouh (interim)
• January 15, 2005 - present: Mahmoud Abbas

History

Yasser Arafat was leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and became the Palestinian Authority's first president in 1994. His rule was validated by an election on January 20, 1996, but future elections were suspended. Arafat remained president until his death on November 11, 2004, at which point Palestinian house speaker Rauhi Fattouh assumed most of Arafat's duties and became interim president. However, he never formally assumed the title. New elections were held in January 2005, and won by Mahmoud Abbas.