Will Turkey rid Abbas of Dahlan before Palestinian elections?
The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced that it would include the dismissed leader of the Fatah movement, Mohammed Dahlan, on the list of most-wanted terrorists, which observers see as a golden opportunity for Abbas to rid of his rival before the elections.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced Nov. 22 that it will include the dismissed leader of the Fatah movement, Mohammed Dahlan, on its most-wanted terrorists list. The ministry offered a $700,000 bounty to anyone who provides information leading to his arrest.
Dahlan, who is currently residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is the political opponent of President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has been trying to issue a Red Notice against Dahlan through Interpol. It was turned down twice: on Sept. 27, 2017, and most recently on May 21. Interpol justified its rejection saying that the PA’s request is inconsistent with its laws prohibiting interference in matters of a political nature.
Dahlan was dismissed from Fatah in 2011, on Abbas' orders, on charges of “delinquency,” i.e., having other allegiances. Abbas also accuses Dahlan of collaborating with Israel and taking part in the assassination of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Dahlan denies all these accusations.
Turkey, for its part, accuses Dahlan of being a mercenary working for the UAE and of participating in the 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On Nov. 22, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet described Dahlan as "the prince of darkness.”
