Mohammed Dahlan

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas casts his vote at the Muqataa, the Palestinian Authority headquarters, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on December 03, 2016. (Flash90)

Preparing for the day after Abbas

Mahmoud Abbas’s heir apparent, Mahmoud Al-Aloul, will have to prove himself by distinguishing his path from that of his predecessor, widely viewed by Palestinians as a failure. By Menachem Klein Someone in the Israeli intelligence community is worried about the health of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and specifically about what may transpire on the day…

By +972 Magazine March 12, 2018

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 72nd session of United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters, New York. (Amir Levy/Flash90)

Give the people what they want: Palestinians take a step toward unity

With Russian involvement, American support, and Israel’s tacit agreement, the Palestinians are taking active steps toward national reconciliation. By Menachem Klein While all eyes were on the horrific massacre in Las Vegas on Monday, an interesting development took place in the Gaza, whose magnitude goes beyond reconciliation between the rival Fatah and Hamas factions. As opposed to previous…

By +972 Magazine October 3, 2017

Fatah lawmaker Mohammed Dahlan speaks to the press, Ramallah, December 16, 2006. (Michal Fattal/Flash90)

Is Abbas’ arch-rival the answer to Gaza’s problems?

A new leaked document reveals a new plan to solve the crisis in Gaza: appointing Mohammad Dahlan, once responsible for crushing Hamas and now Mahmoud Abbas’ greatest threat, to run the besieged Strip. By Elhanan Miller In the beginning of June, former Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan met with representatives of the Egyptian government and leaders…

By +972 Magazine June 29, 2017

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A United Arab Emirates air force F-16 aircraft takes off for a training mission during Red Flag in Nevada, August 26, 2009. Both the UAE and Israel took part in the 2016 Red Flag joint military exercise. (Michael R. Holzwort, U.S. Air Force/CC 2.0)

Palestine slides down agenda as Gulf states inch closer to Israel

Even as the BDS movement has made significant progress in recent years, security and trade cooperation between Israel and Gulf states marks a normalizing of ties that threatens to push Palestine off the agenda. By Mohamed Mohamed After 69 years of occupation, oppression, and exile, the overall situation for Palestinians on the ground remains bleak,…

By +972 Magazine April 4, 2017

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivers a speech on the second day of the seventh Fatah Congress, November 30, 2016, Ramallah. (Flash90)

Palestinians deserve more than Mahmoud Abbas

At the Fatah Congress this week, Abbas’s followers seem to have affirmed a choice Oslo’s signatories made more than two decades ago: that livelihoods matter more than liberation. Palestinians deserve an alternative to this status quo. In Hisham Sharabi’s 1988 book, Neopatriarchy, the late Palestinian intellectual posits “a theory of distorted change in the Arab…

By Samer Badawi December 1, 2016

File photo of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

The war of succession brewing in Palestine

The head of the Palestinian security services is counting on Israeli support. Mohammed Dahlan is trying to rally backers in Egypt. From prison, Marwan Barghouti is writing plans for a nonviolent struggle to will the Palestinian public worldwide. The struggle over Abbas’ succession signals a generational change among the Palestinian leadership. By Menachem Klein When Yassser…

By +972 Magazine June 4, 2016

Imprisoned PLO leader Marwan Barghouti (SP Foto/CC BY NC-ND 2.0)

Marwan Barghouti is planning a comeback — from behind bars

He may be serving five consecutive life sentences in an Israeli prison but Marwan Barghouti is the only leader who has a chance to succeed Mahmoud Abbas and unite the Palestinian people. This is how he plans on doing it. By Menachem Klein Until recently Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was considered only a lame duck.…

By +972 Magazine April 16, 2016

Palestinians clash with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank village of Beit Furik during a solidarity demonstration with Gaza. (photo: Activestills.org)

The West Bank may be on the verge of exploding

Armed men roam the streets, enlisting people to the Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade, Fatah officials call for the end to security coordination with Israel and Mahmoud Abbas is seen as the enemy of the people. Is the explosion closer than we think? By Gershon Baskin I have just returned from a work visit to Ramallah. I…

By +972 Magazine August 18, 2014