-    The interim President of the Palestinian Authority, following the death of Yasser Arafat on 11 November 2004 until January 15, 2005
-    He was elected in 1996 as a representative of the town of Rafah (in the Gaza Strip), where he was born and has lived for most of his life
-    He served as secretary to the council until November 2003, when he became the Minister of Agriculture in the government of Ahmed Qureia