Mohammed Dahlan, Hamas and Islamic Jihad form electoral alliance - report
Islamic Jihad's Deputy Secretary-General indicated that the electoral list could be made up of independent candidates rather than members of Islamic Jihad or Hamas
Mohammed Dahlan, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have agreed to form an electoral alliance in the upcoming Palestinian elections, according to Palestinian officials quoted by the Associated Press.
The pact threatens Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the ruling Fatah party’s electoral prospects, if elections go ahead in November.
Dahlan is included in the bloc despite being a former Fatah official. Dahlan has lived in the UAE since 2010, when he was forced out of the West Bank, after being accused of murdering former PA President Yasser Arafat.
Dahlan has cultivated strong relations with the UAE government and is considered one of the figures who pushed for the Abraham Accords, according to Foreign Policy magazine.
Dahlan's alliance with Hamas and Islamic Jihad therefore comes as a surprise. However, Islamic Jihad Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed al-Hindi indicated to the AP that the electoral list could be made up of independent candidates rather than members of Islamic Jihad or Hamas.
A spokesperson for Dahlan said that several other Palestinian groups will also be part of the alliance and that they are looking to unify as many candidates and factions as possible.