Shin Bet chief Zini met former Fatah figure Dahlan in the UAE - report

Shin Bet chief David Zini, who recently visited the United Arab Emirates, met with former senior Fatah figure Mohammad Dahlan, according to a Kan report citing Israeli and regional sources on Tuesday.

Such meetings, which can be politically sensitive, are brought to the attention of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli public broadcaster reported. The Shin Bet declined to comment, saying only that it "does not refer to the service chief's schedules."

Dahlan, a former Fatah leader, previously headed the Preventive Security Service in Gaza and has spent years in exile in Abu Dhabi, where he serves as an adviser to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. He has also been identified as a potential successor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In July 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that American, Israeli, and Arab officials had named Dahlan as the leading candidate to take control of Gaza the day after the war.

Dahlan has publicly distanced himself from such a role. "I have repeatedly stated my refusal to accept any security, ministerial, or executive position," he told Sky News Arabic, calling instead for "a realistic and implementable international work plan that will lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."

The reported meeting is not the first contact between Dahlan and senior Israeli figures. Kan previously reported that former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Dahlan in Abu Dhabi in February.

The Zini meeting comes amid tightening security ties between Israel and the UAE. Earlier this month, reports said Zini had made a preliminary visit to the Emirates following the ceasefire and amid tensions with Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported this month that Mossad chief David Barnea also visited the UAE at least twice during the 40-day war with Iran for security coordination, with Arab sources saying the visits took place in March and April.