BICOM

Tensions are reportedly escalating between supporters of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and those of his political rival Mohammed Dahlan.

Dahlan is a prominent Palestinian leader and is considered by some to be a serious opponent to Abbas. He headed the Palestinian security forces in Gaza until Hamas forcibly seized power there in 2007. Dahlan had also been part of the Palestinian negotiating team at the Camp David talks in 2000. Accused of corruption and other misdemeanours, Dahlan was expelled by Abbas from the Fatah faction and effectively exiled to Dubai in 2011.

However, Dahlan has continued to speak out against Abbas. Earlier this month, he told Sky News Arabic that he would build a united front against Abbas after he failed to pass a United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution mandating an Israeli West Bank withdrawal. It was also rumoured that Dahlan had met with Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Tensions between Abbas and Dahlan have reportedly exacerbated during the last week. The PA withheld the salaries of 200 employees in the Gaza Strip, who are all known Dahlan supporters. Salaries of 130 community leaders in Gaza, also Dahlan supporters also went unpaid. In response, Dahlan loyalists published the names of around 100 PA officers in Gaza it says informed for the PA security apparatus in Ramallah. A car belonging to one of the officers named was apparently attacked as were Abbas supporters at a meeting in Gaza.

Tawfik Tirawi, a member of the Fatah Central Committee, called the decision by Abbas to withhold salaries a “mistake.” However, Fatah spokesman Osama Qawassmeh accused Hamas, which effectively controls the Gaza Strip, of being responsible for the dispute. Haaretz and Times of Israel analyst Avi Issacharoff says that there has been increased cooperation between Dahlan and Hamas in recent months. However, Hamas official Salah Bardaweel commented, “Hamas won’t allow the Fatah infighting to lead to anarchy and lawlessness.”