The Palestinian Authority (PA) faces a succession crisis that risks leaving the governmental body without a leader, which could cause major political upheaval and social unrest in the West Bank, especially in light of the escalating Israel-Hamas war in nearby Gaza . 87-year-old PA President Mahmoud Abbas has yet to name a successor, despite his age and allegedly ailing health. While different members of Fatah, the dominant political party within the PA, are already vying to replace Abbas, none have so far gained enough legitimacy within the party or the government to emerge as a clear successor. Abbas has served as the president of the PA, which governs the Palestinian-controlled parts of the West Bank, since his election in 2005 following the death of Yasser Arafat. Arafat's death was the only time since the PA's inception in 1994 that there has been a leadership transfer of power.