Live Update
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Fatah’s Jibil Rajoub congratulates Haniyeh
Senior Fatah and Palestinian Authority executive member Jibril Rajoub congratulates Hamas’s former chief in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh, on his election to lead the Palestinian terror group.
Rajoub, who heads the PA Olympic committee and is seen as a potential successor to Mahmoud Abbas, called Haniyeh to personally offer his congratulations, Hamas say in a post on its website.

Palestinian Football Association (PFA) head Jibril Rajoub holds a press conference on October 12, 2016 in the West Bank city of Ramallah. (Abbas Momani/AFP)
Haniyeh was elected Palestinian prime minister in March 2006 following general elections which saw major gains for Hamas. He was dismissed in June 2007 by Abbas after the Hamas coup in Gaza. He has continued to act as Gaza’s de facto political leader ever since.