Potential consensus candidate helps Hamas, Fatah communicate
The name of Nasser al-Din al-Shaer, former deputy prime minister in the government of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, has been coming up as a potential consensus candidate in the Palestinian elections, given that he is close to both Hamas and Fatah.
Ever since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Sept. 26 for elections to be held, there has been undeclared factional and political action to form electoral lists for the legislative balloting expected in March. Candidates have also been suggested for the presidential elections that would be held three months after the legislative ones.
Nasser al-Din al-Shaer, a former minister of education and higher education and former deputy prime minister in the government of Hamas’ politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, is among the names Palestinians have been discussing as a consensus presidential candidate.
