GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The conflicts raging inside Fatah have escalated as a result of the tug-of-war between two opposing factions led by the chairman, President Mahmoud Abbas, and dismissed former leader Mohammed Dahlan for control of the Gaza arena, which is largely dominated by Hamas. Delegations from both factions have separately visited the Strip to iron out possible solutions to the internal strife.

Local media outlets have published a barrage of press statements and articles from both factions inside Fatah regarding the ongoing disagreements. These exchanges culminated in threats and accusations of treason and of being subservient to outside agendas or cooperating with Hamas.

A delegation from Fatah’s Central Committee composed of four people residing in the West Bank and led by Nabil Shaath visited the Strip on Feb. 7. Their visit came on the heels of another by the opposing delegation representing the Dahlan camp, led by Majed Abu Shamleh, on Jan. 21. Both can be viewed as attempts by either side to secure as much support as possible from members of the movement in Gaza.

In numerous interviews, the latest of which took place on Ramallah-based Palestine Television Feb. 20, Shaath repeatedly accused Dahlan of orchestrating a coup inside Fatah. He elaborated by describing what occurred as “a tactic that we expected Israel to use, much like it did in the past with late President Yasser Arafat.”