Close aide curses Palestinian leader in leaked audio

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — A top aide to President Mahmoud Abbas is heard in newly released recordings cursing the Palestinian leader and insulting other members of the Palestinian leadership. The purported remarks by Hussein al-Sheikh give a glimpse of the bitter infighting inside the Palestinian leadership as several hopefuls try to position themselves for the post-Abbas era. Abbas, who is 87 years old and deeply unpopular, has not officially named a successor. The recordings were released by a news website run by the militant Hamas group, the bitter rival of Abbas’ Fatah party. Hamas ousted pro-Abbas forces and took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, leaving him confined to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.