Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressing the G-77 meeting at the UN’s headquarters in New York. Image: UNTV.

JNS.org – A Palestinian Authority pharma billionaire whose car was targeted with a bomb two months ago was reportedly being warned not to attempt to succeed Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas, according to Israel’s Channel 13 news.

Adnan Mjalli was in the Samaria town of Tubas when his $500,000 Mercedes was blown up. He was not in the vehicle at the time.

The report indicated that Mjalli, who had several international pharmaceutical companies, once advised US President Donald Trump on the Palestinian economy and has had his bank accounts frozen by Ramallah authorities.

The attack is believed to be a response to rumors that Mjalli may be a successor to Abbas.

Though the Palestinian Authority is purported to engage in democratic elections, Abbas was elected in 2005, and has been holding on to his role as president of the authority despite the fact that his term was supposed to last for four years. It is not known whether the next leader of the Palestinian Authority will be elected or appointed by Abbas and those close to him.

Additional warnings to stay out of top-tier politics have allegedly been sent to former Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and head of the Palestinian Football Association Jibril Rajoub.

According to the report, Abbas has determined that only Palestinian security chief Majed Faraj and Shechem/Nablus Gov. Mahmoud al-Aloul should be considered for leadership if Abbas retires or dies. However, last year Abbas told members of the Fatah Revolutionary Council that Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud-al Aloul was his preferred successor.

The latest report came the same day as another report revealed that Israel sent a specialist doctor to Ramallah who helped save Abbas’s life this summer during a life-threatening hospitalization.