Senior Fatah figures who oppose Abbas are plotting to lead Gaza without him. While the fighting in the Gaza Strip is in full swing, figures inside and outside the movement are beginning to hold contacts and formulate political plans for the day after the war.
Although elements in the international community, led by the United States and France, have announced support for the return of the Palestinian Authority leadership to Gaza, there are those on the Palestinian side who express reservations about this possibility and want to prevent Mahmoud Abbas and his people from once again heading the regime in the Gaza Strip.
Senior Fatah figures, including some who were ejected from the movement's ranks and are in rivalry with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PLO Executive Committee Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh – who is marked as one of the leading figures to succeed him – are working behind the scenes to find a political formula that will answer the question of who will receive the "Gaza portfolio" in the next stage.
Demolitions of the Gaza Strip, photo: Reuters
One of the names that comes up in this context is ousted Fatah member Muhammad Dahlan, who formerly served as head of Palestinian Preventive Security in the Gaza Strip and was once considered one of its most powerful men. After falling out with Abbas and being ousted by him in 2011, he moved to the United Arab Emirates. Since then, he has had the backing of Abu Dhabi and Cairo, and enjoys support from part of the public in Gaza.
Since the outbreak of the war, its operatives have been in contact with Hamas leaders to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip. Just last week, two senior Hamas officials, Samir al-Mashharawi and Majed Abu Shamla, arrived in Cairo, where they met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The meeting and its timing aroused great interest and speculation among the Palestinians. One hypothesis is that Dahlan will become the "ruler of the Gaza Strip" and will be responsible for its rehabilitation.
The PA has lost credibility
The Palestinian Authority leadership is deeply troubled by this idea. For them, Dahlan is a red sheet and a bitter opponent. Ramallah also did not like the fact that the meeting was held in Cairo, which may suggest that the Egyptians are not ruling out the possibility that Dahlan and his men will play a high-level role in Gaza. According to Palestinian sources, the PA fears the emergence of an alternative leadership that will include "Fatah members who were harmed by Mahmoud Abbas."
IDF soldiers attack targets in the Gaza Strip // IDF Spokesperson
According to them, the PA's fear of Dahlan's rise in power increased following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks a few days ago that at the end of the war, there cannot be a (Palestinian) authority in Gaza that educates children to hate Israel and pays the families of murderers.
"The PA has lost a lot of its credibility over the years, both at home and abroad, and now they are afraid that Dahlan will return to the political arena," one of the sources told Israel Hayom. "The PA thinks that if Dahlan manages to return to Gaza and work there, it means that in the future he may also be given a position in the West Bank, although it is doubtful whether the people here will agree to accept a leader who originated from Gaza. In any case, this is also one of the reasons why the PA and Fatah are in contact with Hamas despite the hostility towards the movement."
Not an exclusive warranty
In recent years, the PA has waged an all-out war against Dahlan and his associates. The Palestinian security forces detained his supporters, attempting to eliminate all his influence and presence throughout Judea and Samaria. In Gaza, on the other hand, Hamas allowed Dahlan members to operate, and his wife Jalila was even involved in distributing scholarships and financial aid to young people, students, and poor families.
"Unlike Abu Mazen and Hussein al-Sheikh, Dahlan has legitimacy in the Gaza Strip," Palestinian sources said, making sure to mention that he grew up in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip and knew Hamas members who eventually became leaders, headed by Yahya Sinwar. "Dahlan grew up in Gaza and knows how to talk to the Palestinian people, he has good connections and influence on the ground, and he has also built support in various places in the West Bank and its refugee camps."
Attacks in the Gaza Strip, photo: AFP
Those close to Dahlan say that at this stage he is not interested in assuming sole responsibility for Gaza or leading it alone (at the end of the fighting), but rather to play a role as part of a group, within the framework of a comprehensive plan that will take into account the solution of the Palestinian issue in Judea and Samaria as well.
"The whole issue needs to be resolved, not just the Gaza issue. If the Israelis think he will come and take the keys to the Gaza Strip like this, without comprehensive arrangements for the West Bank and Gaza together, they are mistaken, but in any situation he will have to play a role," they said.
However, it should be mentioned that everything is open, and when reality becomes clear, it seems that he will not be in a hurry to miss new opportunities that will be presented to him.
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