Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot to run for Fatah's central committee

The Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, has announced his intention to run for the central committee of Fatah.

Zomlot, who has been a prominent voice during Israel's genocide in Gaza, posted the announcement on Instagram.

"Today, Friday, 15/05/2026, which coincides with the 78th Nakba, Husam Zomlot, a Palestinian refugee born and raised in beloved Gaza, announces his intention to run for the member of the Central Committee for Fatah Movement," he wrote.

Among those endorsing Zomlot for a role on the body is the widow of Yasser Arafat, who founded Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political force in the occupied West Bank, as a movement in 1959.

Zomlot has been a well-known voice in a number of media outlets representing the Palestinian perspective on the Gaza genocide.

"Husam has become one of the most prominent Palestinian voices in the West, at the forefront of dismantling decades of lies & myths, leading marches on the streets of London, & excelling at advocacy & strategic communications," he wrote.

"If he succeeds, it'd inject new blood in Fatah & mark a new generation entering the top leadership of Palestinian politics."

Despite being the dominant force in Palestinian politics in the latter half of the 20th century, Fatah's role in the Palestinian Authority - the body created in 1993 that nominally controls parts of the West Bank - has seen its popularity take a hit.

In recent years, the PA has cracked down on Palestinian militancy in the West Bank and has done little or nothing to prevent incursions and attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

Nevertheless, Fatah still retains widespread support, while imprisoned leader Marwan Barghouti is widely regarded as the most popular Palestinian political figure.