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The real reason Hamas is flirting with dismissed Fatah leader

Amid reports about Hamas meeting with dismissed Fatah leader and former opponent Mohammed Dahlan in Cairo, questions arise about the lack of transparency and the results of these meetings.

Mohammed Dahlan, a former Fatah security chief, gestures in his office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates October 18, 2016. Picture taken October 18, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer  - RTX2QI8I
Mohammed Dahlan, a former Fatah security chief, seen in his office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 18, 2016. — REUTERS/Stringer

Hamas made a breakthrough in its relationship with dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan after a delegation, led by Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, met with him during a nine-day visit to Cairo that began June 4.

Although the meetings were secret, Samir Masharawi, a close associate of Dahlan, revealed June 13 that the latter, along with Majed Abu Shamala and Suleiman Abu Mutlaq, leaders of the Fatah Democratic Reformist Current, held four meetings with the Hamas delegation in Egypt, without specifying the exact dates. They reportedly discussed the conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip that are deteriorating as a result of power cuts and the closure of the Rafah crossing, and tackled the reconstruction of Gaza.

On June 15, Rai al-Youm reported that Sinwar held four meetings with Dahlan in Cairo under the supervision of Egyptian intelligence chief Khaled Fawzy, noting that Sinwar was accompanied by Rawhi Mushtaha, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and Maj. Gen. Tawfiq Abu Naim, the head of the security forces in Gaza.

Hamas remained silent and neither confirmed nor denied meeting with Dahlan, which raised questions about its secrecy. Did Sinwar meet Dahlan personally, or were the meetings attended by lower-ranking officials from both sides? Have they reached any agreement?

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