Palestinian sources claimed that Dahlan has been funding dozens of disgruntled Fatah members in the refugee camps in the West Bank as part of his effort to undermine Abbas.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHMOHAMMED DAHLAN, a former Fatah security chief, gestures in his office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, last year.(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority believes deposed Fatah operative Mohammad Dahlan, who is currently residing in the United Arab Emirates, is continuing his efforts to undermine PA President Mahmoud Abbas.On Sunday, PA security forces arrested Hani Salloum, a Fatah activist suspected of supporting Dahlan. Five years ago, Salloum was arrested by the PA after naming his newborn son after Dahlan.Salloum, who is being held at the PA’s Jericho Prison, previously served as director of the office of Majed Abu Shamala, a former Fatah member of the Palestinian Legislative Council who is also closely associated with Dahlan.Over the past few weeks, Dahlan supporters in some refugee camps in the West Bank have staged protests against Abbas and the PA leadership, a senior PA official said.“Dahlan has become very active, especially after the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates,” the official added.Dahlan, who was born in the Gaza Strip’s Khan Yunis refugee camp, is a former Fatah security chief who moved to the UAE after falling out with Abbas 10 years ago. He has been keeping a low profile since the Israel-UAE normalization agreement but reportedly serves as a top adviser to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, crown prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.The Dahlan loyalists are suspected of being behind a shooting attack on PA headquarters in Jenin two weeks ago, the official said. No one was hurt in the attack.According to the official, Dahlan has managed to recruit several Fatah activists in the Balata and Am’ari refugee camps near Nablus and Ramallah, respectively, as well as the Jenin refugee camp.On October 31, Hatem Abu Rizek, a senior Fatah activist who was known for his affiliation with Dahlan, was killed during a clash with PA security officers in the Balata refugee camp. The PA said Abu Rizek, who had spent 10 years in Israeli prisons for terrorism-related offenses during the Second Intifada, was killed when a hand grenade he was carrying accidentally exploded.Five PA security officers were wounded in subsequent clashes with Dahlan loyalists in Balata camp.Several Palestinian activists suspected of being affiliated with Dahlan were detained by PA security forces over the past few weeks, a Fatah activist from the Balata refugee camp told The Jerusalem Post.According to Palestinian sources, Dahlan has been funding dozens of disgruntled Fatah members in the refugee camps in the West Bank as part of his effort to undermine Abbas.“The money coming from the UAE is being used to purchase weapons,” one of the sources said. “Dahlan wants to replace Abbas, and that’s why he’s recruiting many Fatah activists.”
