Al-Sisi mediates between Abbas and Dahlan

Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi has been leading reconciliation talks between Fatah Leader Mahmoud Abbas and the dismissed senior Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, a Palestinian newspaper reported yesterday.

The Abbas-Dahlan rivalry started with individual differences but developed and led Dahlan’s dismissal from the movement.

Palestinian political analyst Mahmoud Al-Ajrami said: “Rapprochement between the two men is not impossible because the difference between them is not based on national issues. They are competing on who is more able to be close to America and who is serving the Israeli occupation more.”

Al-Ajrami said that reconciliation between the two men strengthens the already “weak” Fatah movement, which is “serving” the Israeli occupation.

He reiterated that the sides working to bring both men together are working to consolidate the anti-resistance movements, including Hamas, noting that this is against Palestinian principles.

Palestinian political analyst and veteran journalist Mustafa Al-Sawwaf believes this rapprochement between the two men is in the interest of Fatah as well as Egypt.

He said that the regional and international sides are looking to replace Abbas as a leader of the Palestinian Authority and the head of the Fatah movement; many believe Dahlan is a suitable replacement.

Al-Sawwaf explained: “Al-Sisi expects what the US expected in 2007: that Dahlan is able to exterminate Hamas.”

Meanwhile, Palestinian political analyst Talal Okal said he is sure that Egypt is able to put the pressure needed to reconcile between the two men.

He said that Al-Sisi is concerned about who could be chosen as Abbas’ successor and is in favour of it being Dahlan.