Some more about the colourful and controversial Mohammed Dahlan, who has begun his campaign and given an interview to Saudi TV. here's some quotes.
“Abbas has only brought poverty, sickness and stress to the Palestinian people. He is the leader of the Palestinian people, and as such, he bears responsibility for the failure. He has destroyed the dignity of the Palestinians. What are Abbas’s achievements over the past 15 years? One big zero. Abbas promised to reform and strengthen Fatah, reform the corrupt Palestinian Authority, and achieve an honourable peace (with Israel). Abbas did not achieve any of the three goals.”
"Palestinians will not achieve a Palestinian state unless we change our political system. If we don’t change our Palestinian reality, we won’t achieve our national rights."
His new movement, the Democratic Reform Current, would participate in the upcoming Palestinian elections and did not rule out the possibility that he would run in the PA presidential election. He clarified, however, that his movement would decide who would run in the parliamentary and presidential elections.
“If the elections are fair, the list representing Abbas would be in a difficult situation. I want to assure Abbas that he will not be the only candidate in the presidential election. Abbas is not aware of this because he’s living on a different planet.”
“Abbas does not accept a different view,” he said. “Our movement seeks a fundamental change in the Palestinian political system.”
Asked whether his movement has forged an alliance with Hamas, he replied: “I can’t say that we are allies, but at least we are not in a state of conflict. I’m the one who initiated the reconciliation with them.”
He denied that he was an agent of the UAE and other international parties.
“The UAE has no ambitions in the Palestinian issue,” he said, adding that it is “the second Arab country, after Saudi Arabia, that provides financial support for the Palestinian people.”
He managed one final dig at Abbas over coronavirus.
“Abbas accepted 2,000 vaccines from Israel and gave them to his associates and relatives.” Dahlan has coordinated the delivery of thousands of UAE-supplied vaccines to the Gaza Strip. “We are prepared to send vaccines to the West Bank, but Abbas won’t accept them.”
Here are some Dahlan facts, plus a few rumours.
Born 1961 in a south Gaza refugee camp.
Joined Fatah at an early age and was imprisoned 5 times by the Israelis for 'minor attacks'.
1987 Moved to PLO HQ in Tunis where he became a favourite of Arafat.
1994 Became head of Preventive Security in Gaza, focusing primarily on counter-terrorism - which meant a crackdown on Hamas.
During this time his men earned a reputation for harsh, often brutal measures: imprisoning, humiliating, and allegedly torturing Islamist militants.
2000 Camp David peace conference, Dahlan remained a trusted Arafat aide, reportedly urging the Palestinian leader to strike a more accommodating position.
During the eruption of the Second Intifada, Dahlan and Abbas became close allies, coming out against the widespread use of violence and suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. Both became critics of Arafat.
2003 Appointed Minister of State for Security Affairs by Abbas.
2004 Appointed Minister for Civil Affairs – effectively the main Palestinian interlocutor with Israel.
2006 Became National Security Adviser - tasked with maintaining control of Gaza, again attempting to 'hammer Hamas'.
2007 Hamas seize control of Gaza - Dahlan abroad 'having medical attention'.
Returned to the West Bank.
Became a harsh critic of Abbas. Rumours grew that he was being groomed by the US to succeed Abbas.
2011 Expelled from Fatah; PA security forces raided his home in late summer. He barely made it out of the West Bank, fleeing to Jordan the next day. Later re-emerged in the UAE where he has served as an adviser to Prince Mohammad bin Zayed.
2013 - 19 Involved in UAE activity in Serbia and Montenegro - investments and rumoured arms deals. Became a citizen of both countries.
2015 Visited Khartoum to mediate a deal between Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt over a controversial Nile River dam project.
2015 Arrived in Libya on a private jet for secret talks with Libyan rebel elements, including former Gadhafi regime members.
2015 Rumoured to be involved in, on behalf of the UAE, a targeted assassination program undertaken by US mercenaries against Islamist figures in Yemen.
2019 Turkey issue an arrest warrant against him, with a bounty of $1 million, increased to $2 million, accusing him of helping plot the 2016 coup against Erdogan, a charge he denies.
Throughout this time he has maintained close contact with his supporters in the West Bank and has somehow fostered close ties with his former enemies Hamas, brokering several deals between them and Egypt. He is rumoured to have played a key role in the UAE-Israel peace deal, something he denies, although he is known to have influential Israeli contacts. He has brought his own money (through his wife's charity), UAE money (and vaccines) into Gaza, and Hamas have allowed him to base himself there for the campaign - at the very least he will split the Fatah vote. There is even a chance Hamas may choose to back him should he run for president.
Dahlan has an estimated net worth of $120 million - even more than Abbas, though not if you include Abbas's two mega-rich sons.
He has influential contacts in the US, Israel, Egypt and the Gulf states.
His supporters claim he has the qualities needed to sweep aside the outworn attitudes of the leadership that has shackled the Palestinian people for decades, and embrace a more realistic approach to reaching an accommodation with Israel and the brighter future for everyone. The US and the Israelis view him as a pragmatist, a wheeler-dealer who they might be able to make a deal with.
The PA say he will be arrested if he sets foot in the West Bank. Many of his supporters have already been imprisoned - or worse.
His new party have no chance of winning the election on their own, but there is a growing feeling that he will link up with Nasser al-Qudwa's party, which could fatally damage Fatah's chances and put him in a very powerful position.
Whatever happens, he's a man to watch.
