JERUSALEM – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has carried out a massive crackdown on a strongman within his own Fatah party known for close ties to the U.S., particularly to the CIA.
Senior PA officials are quietly telling WND that the move by Abbas marks the most significant internal Palestinian crackdown on one of its own in Palestinian history, far outdoing even late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, who notoriously turned against those in his own party suspected of consolidating too much power or plotting against him.
The PA officials speaking to WND are not ruling out that the Fatah strongman, Mohammad Dahlan, was in the process of staging a coup against Abbas. Dahlan is accused of raising his own militia that answers to him, as well as smuggling millions of dollars in PA funds.
The move could have a significant impact on future U.S. security coordination with the PA, which until now has been in large part run through Dahlan. Also, the move is expected to strengthen Hamas in Gaza, since Dahlan controlled the main Fatah militias in that territory that opposed the Islamist organization.
Security forces directed by Abbas in recent days closed down Dahlan’s businesses in the West Bank, including his television and radio studios. They confiscated his property, including a $2 million Ramallah mansion, as well as bank accounts in the West Bank and abroad.
PA officials told WND that Abbas recalled any Palestinian ambassador who is suspected of being loyal to Dahlan.
The PA leader also extracted pledged from Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan, not to consult with Dahlan in the future on PA matters.
According to the PA officials, Dahlan was caught raising his own militia. Abbas’ security forces confiscated more than 1,200 weapons from Fatah gunmen loyal to Dahlan; also tens of gunmen were arrested. It was not immediately clear whether those weapons included thousands of U.S. rifles provided to the PA in recent years through Dahlan.
In recent weeks, businessmen suspected of dealing with Dahlan were interrogated by Abbas forces, WND has earned.
Abbas also sent representatives to the United Arab Emirates in an attempt to see the return of PA funds that Dahlan is suspected of diverting to UAE states. Dubai and others pledged to return some money to PA coffers, according to PA sources.
Dahlan’s militias formed the main Fatah opposition to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His downgrading is likely to be used by Hamas to consolidate its own power in that territory.
Dahlan is the Fatah official most closely associated with coordinating security with the U.S.
“This is a very big coup against the man of the CIA inside of Fatah,” one PA official told WND.
Dahlan had become a vocal public critic of Abbas. The Wall Street Journal two months ago reported that Dahlan was part of a group that intended to have Abbas replaced by Nasser al-Kidwa, a nephew of Arafat.
PA officials would not comment on whether Abbas suspects Dahlan was in the process of staging a coup.
The officials, however, would not rule out that possibility.
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