Israel 'mulling' role for former Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan in Gaza

Israel is reportedly mulling a role for Mohammed Dahlan, a former leader of the Palestinian Fatah movement, to govern the Gaza Strip after its brutal war on the devastated Palestinian territory ends, Israeli Channel 12 television has reported.

Dahlan previously headed the Palestinian Authority’s Preventive Security Force in Gaza and was considered as a hugely powerful figure in the enclave in the 1990s and early 2000s.

However, he was a bitter enemy of Hamas and lost all his power in the Gaza Strip when the Palestinian Islamist group took control of the enclave in 2007.

He has lived in the UAE for the past 12 years and is currently an advisor to President Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

Dahlan has recently told the media that he refuses to "accept or perform any security, governmental, or executive role in Gaza", but Israeli security officials are still reportedly considering him for the position.

This would not necessarily entail him physically returning to the Gaza Strip. Dahlan, born in 1961, was once seen by the US and Israel as a potential alternative to late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli security officials believe that Dahlan would eagerly seize the opportunity to lead the Palestinian people.

However, Israeli officials have also expressed fears that Dahlan, having been defeated by Hamas previously in Gaza and losing his power base, would be unable to challenge the group again and would be forced to reach an accommodation with them.

Israel would not accept this under any circumstances, according to Channel 12.

The New Arab could not independently confirm the claims about Dahlan being considered a role in post-war Gaza.

Israel has intensified its brutal assault on northern Gaza recently, killing dozens of people every day in an attempt to create a “closed military zone” in the area and force out remaining civilians. At least 42,289 people have been killed by Israel in Gaza since October 2023.