Dahlan: Netanyahu is a con-man with no interest in peace

Fatah official says PM will destroy the peace process, stresses PA opposition to establishment of demilitarized Palestinian state.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
dahlan 311 (photo credit: AP)
dahlan 311
(photo credit: AP)
Fatah official Muhammad Dahlan called Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu a "con-man" on Sunday, saying that he will destroy the peace process, in an interview with Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Dahlan opined that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is prepared to make "historic decisions," but that Netanyahu is not interested in peace.
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The former Fatah security commander stressed that the PA is against the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state, but said that his people have "no interest in planes and tanks."
Last week, Dahlan had criticized the PA leadership for going to the talks unconditionally, saying that Abbas also made a mistake by agreeing to go to the talks before receiving assurances from the US administration.
Dahlan said that the Palestinians only received “verbal assurances” from Washington.
He added that under such conditions, the talks would not produce any positive results.
Dahlan accused the US administration of abandoning its role as mediator and becoming “managers of Netanyahu’s PR campaign.”
Dahlan also expressed disappointment with some Arab countries for putting pressure on the PA leaders to move from indirect to direct talks with Israel.
“In Fatah, we believe that going to the talks in this way won’t lead to any positive results,” he had said. “All that Abbas can do now is say no to any issue that contradicts the national interests of the Palestinians.”
Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report