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IN POWER

What is Mahmoud Abbas’ net worth, how long has he been President of the Palestinian Authority and who are his children?

Mahmoud Abbas has been president since January 2005, and is a member of the Fatah party

PRINCE William had a historic meeting with the Palestinian President as the first royal to visit the occupied West Bank.

He shook hands with Mahmoud Abbas on June 27, 2018, as he expressed a desire for "lasting peace" between Israelis and Palestinians.

 The 82-year-old has been president of Palestine since January 2005
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The 82-year-old has been president of Palestine since January 2005Credit: EPA

Who is Mahmoud Abbas?

Mahmoud Abbas is the Palestinian president.

He has been president since January 2005, and is a member of the Fatah party.

Initially the rival political party, Hamas, announced it wouldn't recognise the 82-year-old.

But he has been recognised in the years that have followed.

His family fled to Syria during the 1948 Palestine war, and he studied law at the University of Damascus.

He later studied for the Soviet equivalent of a PhD at a Moscow university - his dissertation was titled "The Other Side: The Secret Relationship Between Nazism and Zionism".

He is married to Amina Abbas, with whom he had three sons.

His net worth is $100m, according to an aide.

 Prince William and Mahmoud Abbas had a historic meeting during the royal's Middle Eastern trip
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Prince William and Mahmoud Abbas had a historic meeting during the royal's Middle Eastern tripCredit: Rex Features

How long has Abbas been president?

He has been president since January 2005 - so has been at the helm of the country for 13 years.

He was only due to serve a four year term, but has continued as leader for more than a decade.

On 16 December 2009, the leadership of the Palestinian Central Council announced an indefinite extension of Abbas's term as president.

In 2016 he was formally re-elected as the leader of the party.

The 82-year-old has been a central figure in the party for decades - having been a lieutenant to Yasir Arafat, his predecessor.

​Prince William shakes hands with ​Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

How many children does he have?

He and his wife, Amina, had three children together.

The eldest, Mazen, ran a building company in Doha - he died in Qatar of a heart attack in 2001 aged 42.

Their second son Yasser, is a Canadian businessman named after former leader Yasser Arafat.

The youngest is Tareq, a business executive.

Abbas has eight grandchildren.