Acting President of the United States underwent colon cancer surgery while under anesthesia. Vice President George H. W. Bush discharged the powers and duties of the presidency during his incapacity, serving as acting president until later that day, when Reagan reclaimed his authority. The next to do so was George W. Bush, who underwent a colonoscopy procedure on June 29, 2002, and again on July 21, 2007. Vice President Dick Cheney temporarily became acting president on both occassions. Acting President of the United States An Acting President of the United States is an individual who legitimately exercises the powers and duties of the office of President
President of the State of Palestine Since then, both functions (President of the SoP and of the PA) were simultaneously performed by a single person. In 2012, the United Nations recognized the "State of Palestine" as non-member observer state, but this did not abolish the function of President of the Palestinian Authority, as this originated from the Oslo Accords. Unlike the President of the Palestinian Authority, the position of President of the State of Palestine is not validated by democratic elections, but rather by the PLO Central Council. In 1989, the PLO Central Council elected Arafat the first President of the State of Palestine. At the