The article traces the history of the President of the State of Palestine, beginning with Yasser Arafat's assumption of the title in 1989 after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence. Initially a titular position, it ran parallel to the President of the Palestinian National Authority (PA).
From 1994, Arafat held both positions, a situation continued by Mahmoud Abbas after Arafat's death in 2004. In 2005, the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) formally requested Abbas to assume the duties of the President of the State of Palestine.
Since 2013, following the UN's recognition of the State of Palestine as a non-member observer state, the title President of the State of Palestine became the sole title.
The article emphasizes that unlike the President of the PA, the President of the State of Palestine is not elected democratically but rather appointed by the PLO Central Council. Both Arafat and Abbas were appointed this way.