Alerts

Is Dahlan Planning a Coup Against Abbas?

Patronage, politics, and paranoia
Share this
Mahmoud Abbas

Table of Contents

Mahmoud Abbas and Muhammed Dahlan in the past
Abbas and Dahlan (right) in a different period (Al Sawt)

About two weeks ago, February 15-16, 2017, Mohammed Dahlan convened a gathering in Cairo of about 500 of his followers from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip – with the agreement of the Egyptian government and to the chagrin of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The conference was held despite the fact that the PA had conveyed threats to the invitees and even tried in different ways to prevent them from leaving for Egypt.

The Cairo gathering was held under the rubric “Palestinian Youth Draw the Map of the Future.” The recommendations that it issued included a call for supporting the cultural and sports institutions for Palestinian youth in the territories, expressing identification with the Palestinian security prisoners, and for national unity.

Dahlan, in his address to the gathering, demonstrated national responsibility by carefully refraining from attacking PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

The problems began after the participants returned to their homes in the territories.

Those who returned to Gaza were interrogated by the Hamas security mechanisms about what had happened in Cairo. It was the Palestinian security services in the West Bank, however, that cracked down on Dahlan’s backers. 

Dozens of youths, residents of the West Bank, who had attended the event in Egypt, were summoned for interrogation or arrested by the PA security mechanisms at Abbas’ behest.

A Coup Attempt against Abbas?

According to Fatah sources, the detainees were told that they had been arrested “in order to safeguard the Palestinian state and its sovereignty.”

The interrogations conducted by the Palestinian security forces centered on whether during the gathering Dahlan and Egyptian intelligence had talked about ways of overthrowing Abbas in the West Bank and about including the attendees of the gathering in the planned coup attempt.

Associates of Dahlan say this is a baseless charge, and that behind it are three senior officials of the Fatah Central Committee who hope to succeed Abbas and constantly incite Abbas against Dahlan.

The three are Jibril Rajoub, Head of the Palestinian Football Association; Hussein al-Sheikh, Minister of Civil Affairs; and General Majid Freij, Head of Palestinian General Intelligence.

Dahlan strongly denies allegations that he is planning a military coup against Abbas or trying to create a rift in the Fatah movement.

He makes sure to state at every opportunity that he has no intention to resign from Fatah and that he is a true son of the movement in the spirit of Yasser Arafat’s leadership.

Recently, the Palestinian security forces’ harassment of Dahlan’s supporters in the West Bank mounted – at the same time that the PA succession struggle is intensifying.

The Seventh Fatah Congress, held at the end of November in Ramallah, was aimed at distancing Dahlan and his supporters from any influence in Fatah. Dahlan, who is the moderate Arab states’ favorite to succeed Abbas as PA chairman, did not give ground; instead he continued to organize his forces in the refugee camps of the West Bank and Lebanon for the ongoing succession struggle.

At the end of last month the PA security forces subjected Fatah’s Shabiba youth movement at an-Najah University in Nablus to a wave of arrests. The Shabiba members had been distributing thousands of blankets for the winter to needy people in the West Bank, and the security forces even commandeered some trucks that had been carrying the blankets.

The detained young Fatah members were accused of supporting Dahlan because the blankets had been donated by the United Arab Emirates; Dahlan serves as an adviser to the ruler of Abu Dhabi.

Is Dahlan Preparing for a Day of Reckoning?

Abbas, seeking to detract from Dahlan’s popularity in the Palestinian street, has barred him from any charitable activity in the West Bank. Hamas, however, allows Dahlan’s wife, Jalila Dahlan, to conduct unrestricted charitable activity in Gaza.  

Senior PA officials claim Dahlan is not the saint he purports to be and has been buying large quantities of weapons from Israeli criminals within the Green Line and funneling them to his supporters in the West Bank refugee camps.

These sources say the weapons are intended for the day of reckoning – the military coup that Dahlan is planning against Abbas, and that he is only waiting for the right moment when the PA chairman has been sufficiently weakened.

The Palestinian security forces have not only been harassing Dahlan supporters among the young Fatah generation but also members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (parliament) who are affiliated with Dahlan.

Last week Abbas barred five West Bank-dwelling Legislative Council members from leaving for Lebanon because they were Dahlan supporters.

On his Facebook page on February 25, 2017, Dahlan denounced the Palestinian security forces’ arrests of his supporters in the West Bank, saying they constituted “an attempt to create a struggle within the Fatah movement that will serve the Israeli occupation.”

He also condemned the violation of the Legislative Council members’ immunity and freedom of movement.

Where Are Things Headed?

Dahlan’s political activity is legitimate and does not amount to subversion against Abbas. Abbas, however, is behaving like a dictator, denying freedom of political expression to whoever is considered his political adversary within the Fatah movement.

According to Fatah sources, the fierce dispute between Abbas and Dahlan developed because Dahlan’s adversaries were able to besmirch him in Abbas’ eyes. In the past, Dahlan had been Abbas’ protégé.

In recent months Abbas cut back Dahlan’s political power. One of the reasons Abbas has denied any important position in the Fatah leadership to Marwan Barghouti, who is imprisoned in Israel, is that Barghouti is a comrade of Dahlan’s.

Time, however, is working against Abbas because of his advanced age and state of health. Senior officials in Fatah and the Israeli security establishment do not believe he will be able to put a stop to Dahlan’s activities and render him ineffectual.

Dahlan has great popularity and numerous supporters in Gaza and has also succeeded to establish armed strongholds in the refugee camps of the West Bank and Lebanon.

A successful businessman who is also involved in large arms deals, Dahlan’s great wealth enables him to conduct independent political activity and constantly recruit new supporters.

Thus, Dahlan’s political weakness is merely temporary. The moment Abbas is incapacitated by advanced age or for other reasons, the political rules of the game will change, and the game will open up again. 

Dahlan is a seasoned politician. He has managed to gain the support of Arab states against the odds, and he has a talent for forging political connections and new alliances. Hence, he has not yet said his last word about the PA succession struggle.

Yoni Ben Menachem

Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as Director General and Chief Editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Share this

Subscribe to Daily Alert

The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Related Items

Stay Informed, Always

Get the latest news, insights, and updates directly in your inbox—be the first to know!

Subscribe to Jerusalem Issue Briefs
The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Notifications

The Jerusalem Center
Canada investigating Israeli-Canadian IDF soldiers?
JCFA senior researcher, Amb. Alan Baker slams the probe as a “political PR stunt with no legal basis.” “This isn’t justice—it’s a betrayal. Canada is siding with PLO propaganda over facts.”
11:29am
The Jerusalem Center
What makes a child believe killing a #Jew is justified?

In PA textbooks, Jews are called liars and frauds; their fate: elimination. This is #indoctrination—not #education. But change is happening. On East to West, @IMPACT_SE CEO Marcus Sheff exposes how #UNRWA-funded schools are fueling extremism—and what real reform looks like.  Listen now on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2JHqh973U  Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/8OkJTGNfVUc

11:43am
The Jerusalem Center
Highlights from the @Jerusalem_Post Annual Conference in NYC:

Dr. @Dan_Diker, President of the JCFA: “October 7 wasn’t just an attack on Israel — it was a blow to the U.S. on Israeli soil. It demands moral clarity and a united front between Israel and the U.S. to defeat jihadist terror.”

2:20pm
The Jerusalem Center
@XAVIAERD says it like it is

Well, @XAVIAERD says it like it is: If you’re part of “#Queers for #Palestine,” he’ll pay for your flight to #Gaza. Go see for yourself how they treat LGBTQ+ people over there. Don’t miss this bold take on the Israel-Hamas war and the woke right.

2:32pm
The Jerusalem Center
“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.”

“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.” On Our Middle East by @JNS_org, @Dan_Diker@KhaledAbuToameh (JCFA/@GatestoneInst) break it down: If Hamas isn’t crushed, Iran wins. The jihadis—from #Gaza to your campus—get the green light. Diker: “This war is for the West.” No fluff. No filters. Just raw insight from two insiders who actually know what’s going on.  Watch: youtu.be/4Aq_zcbb4Yo

2:15pm
The Jerusalem Center
5/5 Lt. Col. Kalo on East to West with @smartinezamir:

“This operation showcases Israel’s strategic intelligence superiority both regionally and globally. It demonstrates the moral commitment to recovered soldiers and also strengthens Israel’s position with allies.” youtube.com/watch?v=nIvNNi

2:07pm
The Jerusalem Center
4/5 The operation built on intelligence gathered during the 2019 #Baumel recovery

#Mossad agents operated under cover in #Syria for years, visiting a graveyard multiple times under fire to collect remains for DNA matching. The intelligence community’s evolution combines technology, big data analysis, and human intelligence capabilities.

2:02pm
The Jerusalem Center
3/5 This recovery coincided with the release of Israeli hostage Edan Alexander

This recovery coincided with the release of Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from #Hamas in #Gaza, significantly boosting national morale amid an ongoing conflict now stretching over 18 months. The dual successes demonstrate #Israel‘s unwavering commitment to bringing all soldiers home.

1:58pm
The Jerusalem Center
2/5 The operation used the power vacuum following #Assad’s fall from #Damascus

Lt. Col. Avi Kalo, former head of IDF Prisoners & Missing Persons Division, calls it “an outstanding event that brings hope and new spirit to the people of Israel.” The operation utilized the power vacuum following #Assad‘s fall from #Damascus, allowing #Israeli intelligence to deploy ground capabilities in #Syria.

1:56pm
The Jerusalem Center
1/5 Israeli forces recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi Feldman

In an unprecedented operation, Israeli forces have recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi #Feldman, missing since the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yacoub. The complex #Mossad mission was conducted deep within #Syrian territory, 43 years after his disappearance. This follows the successful 2019 recovery of Zachary #Baumel from the same battle.

1:54pm
The Jerusalem Center
A molotov attack on a bus = a “barbecue party”?

That’s what #Palestinian kids are being taught under @UNRWA  — from grade school to graduation. This isn’t education. It’s indoctrination. Marcus Sheff of @IMPACT_SE  breaks it down with @smartinezamir

12:51pm

Close