Quelques nouvelles de Mr Dahlan

Fayyad confiscates $7 million from Dahlan
By Ali Waked, Ynet, July 8, 2007
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyafd recently confiscated $7 million from a bank account belonging to National Security Advisor Muhammed Dahlan.

According to Palestinian sources, the confiscated funds were transferred to Dahlan in order to financially support Palestinian security forces before Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip.

The funds were transferred by several international bodies, including the United States and Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan. As national security advisor, Dahlan was responsible for allocating the funds to where they were most needed by security forces.

According to the sources, Palestinian Authority officials were checking whether or not Dahlan managed to withdraw funds from his account prior to Fayyad’s confiscation. [complete article]

See also, PA officials smuggled $52 million in U.S. aid (WND).

Dahlan departs politics to undergo more medical treatment
By Khaled Abu Toameh, Jerusalem Post, July 10, 2007

Former Fatah security commander Muhammad Dahlan is unlikely to return to the Palestinian territories in the near future after heading over the weekend to Germany for medical treatment.

Fatah officials in Ramallah told The Jerusalem Post that Dahlan, who already underwent surgery on his knees in a German hospital earlier this year, would not return to the political scene, at least not in the next few months.

“Dahlan’s health condition doesn’t allow him to return to his previous work,” the officials said. “He will undergo more treatment in Germany and, if required, he may have to be moved to the US for further treatment.” [complete article]

Did Dahlan talk about slaughtering Arafat?
By Sami Moubayed, Gulf News, July 10, 2007

Mohammad Dahlan, former Palestinian security minister, allegedly talked about killing former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

It is said to have been found in a hand-written letter dated July 13, 2003, addressed to Shaul Mofaz, the then-Israeli minister of defence in Ariel Sharon’s cabinet.

Documents like these were discovered at the security offices of Fatah, which were abandoned three weeks ago after the Hamas takeover of Gaza. Since then a war of words - and documents - has been waged between the two Palestinian groups. [complete article]

Comment — As Dahlan falls, we can only speculate who he might bring down with him. If, as the Jerusalem Post suggests, he ends up in the United States for health care (and/or asylum), he could put his patrons in Washington in an awkward position. How long might it be before he ends up getting subpoenaed by Congress? If it comes to that, Elliot Abrams and David Welch will then have some tough questions to answer.

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