Gaza Sources Blame Fatah's Dahlan for "Leaked" Israeli Election Interference Story

Sources in Gaza are identifying Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan as directly responsible for a "journalistic spin" concerning a report published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The Likud party had previously issued a strong statement alleging that Dahlan orchestrated the Haaretz "investigation" as part of an attempt at foreign interference in Israeli elections. Panelists on the morning program hosted by Tal Meir sharply criticized the credibility of the report and its amplification by left-wing media.

Orientalist Yoni Ben Menachem revealed that Dahlan's primary targets are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, his long-time rival. Ben Menachem cited evidence from Gaza indicating Dahlan is the direct source of the "journalistic duck," characterizing it as an internal Palestinian political matter. He explained that Dahlan, currently politically ascendant in Gaza and Abu Dhabi, seeks to undermine Netanyahu and Abbas, with whom he has a protracted conflict dating back to his expulsion from the West Bank and Gaza and accusations related to Yasser Arafat's assassination.

Ben Menachem further elaborated on Dahlan's trajectory, noting his move to the UAE where he became a businessman and arms dealer involved in regional events. Dahlan is reportedly forming a coalition with Hamas and Islamic Jihad to compete in Palestinian Legislative Council elections, aiming to position himself as the ruler of Gaza. The panelists emphasized that such leaks serve specific political interests within the Palestinian system.

The Haaretz report, attributed to journalist Shlomi Eldar, claimed that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu about an impending attack approximately a week and a half before the October 7th massacre. This claim has reportedly "completely collapsed," with official sources, including Ron Dermer and American officials, strongly denying it. The Likud party also accused the Haaretz reporter of receiving payment from a left-wing organization to disseminate the story.

During the discussion, the amplification of the report by Israeli media was also heavily criticized, with panelists labeling the collapse of the investigation as a microcosm of the left-wing perspective. They argued that given the alleged leaker (Dahlan) and potential funders (left-wing organizations), the report should be viewed as propaganda against Israel. In response to the Likud's accusations, Dahlan's office issued a statement calling the claims "false and mistaken" and indicative of Netanyahu's "embarrassment" internationally, asserting he has never been involved in internal Israeli political struggles.