Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas believes that Mohammed Dahlan, the
controversial former security commander, is trying to replace him, a source
close to Abbas said on Sunday.
The source said that relations between the
two men have deteriorated in recent weeks, especially after Abbas removed
policemen who were assigned to guard Dahlan’s residence in
Ramallah.
Dahlan, who founded and headed the Fatah-controlled
Preventative Security Force in the Gaza Strip, moved to the West Bank after
Hamas took full control over the strip in 2007.
Last weekend, Abbas
ordered the closure of a private TV station owned by Dahlan, who is also a
member of the Fatah Central Committee.
Abbas has accused Dahlan of
seeking to undermine his authority in the West Bank – an allegation that has
been dismissed by Dahlan’s aides as “nonsense.” The order to shut the Falastine
Al-Ghad (Palestine Tomorrow) station was signed by the PA Minister of Interior.
The station’s offices are located in Ramallah.
All 35 workers of the TV
station were asked by the PA to evacuate the offices.
The management of
the station said the workers were given paid leave.
Attorney Moussa
Mansour, who represents the TV station, said he was surprised by the decision.
He said he was planning to challenge the order in a PA court. He also denied
that Dahlan was one of the owners of the station.
However, a senior PA
official in Ramallah confirmed that the TV station belonged to a company owned
by Dahlan.
The official accused Dahlan of challenging Abbas’s authority
and stressed that the PA would not tolerate such actions.
Abbas,
meanwhile, has ordered an investigation against former PA security officials who
were allegedly involved in embezzlement of public funds, Palestinian sources
told the pan-Arab Al- Jazeera TV network.
The sources said that a special
committee set up by Abbas has started questioning the former officials,
including Dahlan, about the source of their wealth.
The committee is also
looking into suspicions that Dahlan and others have been “conspiring” to
undermine Abbas, the sources said.
Abbas is also considering the
possibility of seeking Interpol’s assistance in arresting corrupt officials who
fled the Palestinian territories.
Abbas has accused Dahlan of
bad-mouthing him and his two sons, Tareq and Yasser, who are wealthy businessmen
involved in various economic projects.
Abbas has also accused Dahlan of
inciting Fatah leaders against him and Prime Minister Salam
Fayyad.
Moreover, Dahlan has been accused of trying to “penetrate” the PA
security forces in the West Bank by establishing bases of power among their top
brass, the sources added.