Mahmoud Abbas to announce shock retirement from politics?

Sad news for Abbas fans. Speculation had been rife that the Palestinian President is about to announce his retirement from politics, at age 90, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 22/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a politician isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a politician just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouMahmoud

For a little while on Tuesday evening, #ThankYouMahmoud was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Mahmoud Abbas was unlike any other politician we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouMahmoud”
— @universalObserver, 21 Jul 2026

“Abbas wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 21 Jul 2026

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