Mohammad Dahlan, a former Fatah strongman in Gaza exiled to the UAE since Hamas’s takeover of the Strip, tells the Economist that he envisions a future in which both the enclave and the West Bank are governed by an elected Palestinian parliament, doing away with the Palestinian Authority presidency.
He says once Israel’s war on Hamas ends, the Strip should be governed by a technocratic government for two years before giving way to elections.
The vote should include rival Hamas, he says, pooh-poohing the suggestion that Israel will be able to eliminate the group completely. The terror group emerged victorious the last time Palestinian parliamentary elections were held, in 2006.
“Hamas will not disappear,” he is quoted saying in the rare interview.
Though based in the Gulf, Dahlan remains a powerful figure in Gaza, where he formerly ran security for PA President Mahmoud Abbas and has since brokered deals to bring money and fuel into the Strip.
However, he dismisses the suggestion that he would agree to be installed by Israel to rule the enclave once troops pull back, the Economist reports.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
