For more than a decade, one name keeps surfacing as a possible future Palestinian leader who could be acceptable not only to the Arab world but also to the US and Israel – Mohammed Yusuf Dahlan.
Dahlan’s career, to date, is best described as checkered. There have been ups and downs in his relations with the Palestinian world and also with the West and Israel. Because his standing with both has varied from friend to foe and back again, he has, curiously enough, acquired a sort of across-the-board status and a certain credence.
His credibility as a player on the contemporary Israel-Palestine scene is boosted by the fact that he is a native Gazan, born in 1961 in the Khan Yunis refugee camp. As a teenager, Dahlan helped set up the Fatah Youth Movement, known as the Fatah Hawks.
In his twenties, he was arrested more than once by the Israeli authorities for political activism, but never for terrorist activities. He put his time in Israeli prisons to good use by learning Hebrew, which he speaks fluently.
In the early 1990s, Dahlan was reliably reported to have helped in the negotiations leading to the Oslo Accords. The first accord, signed in 1993, was violently opposed by Hamas, which severed relations with Yasser Arafat as a result. Arafat chose Dahlan to head the Preventive Security Force in Gaza, while Israel and the US supported and closely cooperated with him in his new role – particularly in countering Hamas.
Mohammed Dahlan sits in his office in Abu Dhabi, in 2016. Today, his international influence extends far and wide, the writer explains. (credit: REUTERS)
Gaza's next leader in waiting?
Building up a force of 20,000 men, he became so powerful that the Gaza Strip was nicknamed “Dahlanistan.” Now, a quarter of a century later, is the wheel coming full circle, and could Dahlan find himself once again governing Gaza?
In fact, his name has been bandied about in recent years for a much more important role: a possible successor to Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas.
Dahlan first made political waves in 2001, when he began denouncing corruption in the PA and calling for reform. A year later, he resigned and, portraying himself as an outspoken critic of Arafat, campaigned on an anti-corruption and reform ticket. As a result, Dahlan and his followers won over most of the Fatah sections in Gaza.
The 2006 Palestinian elections saw Hamas gain a majority in Gaza. Dahlan called their election victory a disaster, and in January 2007, held the biggest-ever rally of Fatah supporters in the Gaza Strip, where he denounced Hamas as “a bunch of murderers and thieves.”
His instinct was vindicated six months later when Hamas staged a bloody coup in Gaza, seized power, and expelled the Fatah officials it had not already murdered. Years later, it was revealed that Dahlan played a key role in an abortive US plot to remove Hamas from power.
Yet, Palestinian politics being what they are, more recently there have been signs of a limited reconciliation between Hamas and Dahlan – a situation better described as tactical cooperation. Around 2017, reports emerged of Egypt-brokered talks between Hamas and Dahlan’s representatives, supported by the United Arab Emirates.
In 2011, when he was expelled from Fatah, Dahlan exiled himself to the UAE. Ever since October 2007, when the Bush administration reportedly pressured Abbas to appoint Dahlan as his deputy, Abbas has regarded him as a dangerous rival.
Biding his time, Abbas finally charged Dahlan in June 2011 with financial corruption and murder, going so far as to accuse him of killing the late PLO leader, Yasser Arafat – an accusation that has led to no legal proceedings or formal charges. French investigators in 2015 concluded that Arafat died of natural causes.
While settling in the UAE, Dahlan became a close adviser to Mohammed bin Zayed, then crown prince, now the UAE president. Though never officially acknowledged, Dahlan is believed to have played a behind-the-scenes role in facilitating the normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel, resulting in the Abraham Accords in September 2020.
Dahlan’s close relationship with the UAE has given him financial and political leverage, which he has used to support his political allies within Palestinian society.
In January 2025, the media reported that Hamas and Fatah had reached a draft deal to form a “community support committee” to administer post-war Gaza. The concept was put to the Palestine Liberation Organization and rejected, but potential leaders of a post-war Gaza began to be mooted.
Acceptability to the US, the Arab world, and Israel is the hurdle contenders would have to overcome, and few are better placed than Dahlan. Palestinian writer Fathi al-Sabah has said: “Dahlan does not aspire to assume leadership of the Gaza Strip in the post-war phase. Rather, he sees himself as a candidate to lead the entire Palestinian people, looking forward to the position of president of the Palestinian Authority.”
This not unworthy aspiration, if indeed Dahlan holds it, is far from inconsistent with accepting the prestigious, if onerous, task of leading his native Gaza out of war and into peace. Success in that role would place Dahlan in a position to succeed the 90-year-old Mahmoud Abbas, currently in the 20th year of his four-year term of office.
For the present, Dahlan is content to play the well-known political game – whatever high office you are aiming for, swear that nothing is further from your thoughts.
On July 24, 2024, Dahlan posted this on his X account, referring to himself in the plural as the royal “we”:
“Various scenarios have been repeatedly presented or leaked to the media regarding the arrangements for the ‘day after’ Israel’s devastating war on Gaza. Sometimes our name is used to thrill audiences. Therefore, and once again, we reiterate that… our highest priority now is to end the war.
“We will not support any choice that has not been reached based on Palestinian national understandings [achieved] through a transparent democratic process… I have repeatedly refused to accept any security, governmental or executive role.”
Rumors were obviously already rife. Two days after his post, they were given substance in a long article in The Wall Street Journal.
“The question of who will govern Gaza,” it began, “has plagued efforts to end Israel’s nine-month war to destroy Hamas… Some negotiators are increasingly drawn to Mohammed Dahlan as a temporary solution to a dilemma facing postwar Gaza.”
Dahlan’s name is out there as a potential future Palestinian leader, one way or another. He no doubt has in mind the ancient Greek saying: “There’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.”
The writer is the Middle East correspondent for Eurasia Review. His latest book is Trump and the Holy Land: 2016-2020. Follow him at www.a-mid-east-journal.blogspot.com
דרושים דרושות נהגים לעבודה בנהיגה במספר סניפים ברחבי הארץ, בהיקף ארצי, מדובר על נהיגה במספר תחומים לבחירה, נהיגה במשאית, רכב פרטי, אופנוע, ורכב מסחרי, לא נדרש ניסיון, אבל נדרש רישיון נהיגה בהתאם לתפקיד, לפרטים ניתן להירשם בקישור הבא: https://drussimjobbs.com/sign/ אתר drussimjobbs
דרושים דרושות נהגים לעבודה בנהיגה במספר סניפים ברחבי הארץ, בהיקף ארצי, מדובר על נהיגה במספר תחומים לבחירה, נהיגה במשאית, רכב פרטי, אופנוע, ורכב מסחרי, לא נדרש ניסיון, אבל נדרש רישיון נהיגה בהתאם לתפקיד, לפרטים ניתן להירשם בקישור הבא: https://drussimjobbs.com/sign/
אתר drussimjobbs
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
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სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
