From Exiled Palestinian strongman Dahlan touts Gazan future without Hamas or Abbas
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
An independent Palestinian leader backed by Arab peacekeepers could oversee the reconstruction of Gaza after the war between Israel and Hamas, a prominent Palestinian exile says.
Mohammed Dahlan, the former Palestinian Authority Gaza security chief, tells The New York Times that in his vision, “the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are open to supporting processes that are part of efforts leading to a Palestinian state.”
The new Palestinian leader would push PA President Mahmoud Abbas aside to a ceremonial role, and could invite countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia to send in troops and pay for a reconstruction of the Strip, says Dahlan, who many think may be eyeing the job for himself.
But Israel would have to agree to a Palestinian state: “The main Arab countries are really very keen to settle this conflict. Not the war, the whole conflict.”
“No Abbas, no Hamas,” says the former Fatah strongman. “New people in charge of the Palestinian Authority.”
As he has been for decades, Dahlan is openly critical of Hamas: “Relying on people suffering isn’t leadership. The Palestinian people want to live.”
Dahlan’s security force operated in Gaza with an iron first after the Oslo Accords. A Gaza native, he was abroad when Hamas took over by force in 2007, and after moving to the West Bank he was expelled from Fatah in 2011 over accusations that he murdered Yasser Arafat.
His potential popularity as an alternative to Abbas has led to tensions with the Palestinian leader. In 2014, Dahlan was convicted in absentia by the PA for defamation and embezzlement.
In the UAE, where he moved after being pushed out of Fatah, he has been a top adviser to President Mohamed Bin Zayed, and has also stayed somewhat active in Palestinian politics. In 2017, he brokered a deal between Egypt and Hamas to keep fuel flowing to Gaza’s power plant, flexing his diplomatic muscle.
Representatives from six Arab countries met last week in Saudi Arabia to discuss a ceasefire and the future of Gaza.
Dahlan tells the New York Times that he is trying convince Hamas to step aside to let new Palestinian leadership take over.
