Abbas seeks Dahlan's help in confronting Hamas

An Important Article

"Ramallah - After severing talks with Hamas Movement on unity government, PA chief Mahmoud Abbas brought back former head of the infamous PA preventive security apparatus and Fatah lawmaker Mohammed Dahlan at the forefront in his conflict with the Hamas Movement.

A well-informed Palestinian source revealed that Abbas commissioned Dahlan to follow up security matters and to draw political strategies without directly involving himself in the field action.

The sources added that Dahlan who still has influence on the security apparatuses, especially the preventive security, met with Arab and foreign security officials on Abbas' orders as a reward for his role in electing Abbas as the general-commander of Fatah faction.

Dahlan appeared beside Abbas during the latter's meetings with US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, and Javier Solana, the foreign policy coordinator in the EU in Ramallah city a couple of days ago.

For many Palestinians, Dahlan is a controversial man in the Palestinian arena, and has dubious records over a number of activities he was and still is doing in the Palestinian arena, including leading a mutiny in Gaza against the late PA chief Yasser Arafat who was then under tight Israeli siege in Ramallah city.

His role in influencing Fatah decisions of not joining in any Hamas-led government was evident as he clearly stated, "It is a big shame on Fatah to accept joining a Hamas-led government".

Although Dahlan was hailed by American president George W. Bush; yet Al-Haj Abu Ahmed, general-commander of the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, armed wing of Fatah, described him as "the most dangerous man on the Palestinian issue".

Dahlan maintains warm relations with the Israelis and publicly and secretly meets them, especially on security matters that made him an attractive personality in the eyes of the Americans and the Israelis, according to local observers.

In 2004, former Israel's war minister Shaul Mofaz was quoted as saying, "We have a complete and accurate plan to direct the PA at the direction we want; but we have to finish off a number of terror leaders in the Palestinian arena before relying on Palestinian figures we trust to carry out the disengagement plan from Gaza Strip".

"We look forward to a person like Dahlan to lead the PA who will be able to hit the military infrastructure of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad", former Israeli "justice" minister Yusuf Lipid was once quoted as saying. "