November 2, 2016 | Quoted by Peter Baker - The New York Times

In Muhammad Dahlan’s Ascent, a Proxy Battle for Legitimacy

Muhammad Dahlan lives 1,300 miles from his Palestinian brethren in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. His spacious home here in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, features plush sofas, vaulted ceilings and chandeliers. The infinity pool in the back seems to spill into the glistening waterway beyond.

It has been five years since Mr. Dahlan, 55, set foot in the territory Palestiniansenvision as their future state. But this onetime strongman turned millionaire in exile is the focus of intrigue across the region as Arab leaders seek to force changes over the objections of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority.

“Abbas has such an iron grip that none of his rivals really stands a chance against him right now,” said Grant Rumley, a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, based in Washington, and co-author of a forthcoming biography of Mr. Abbas. “Here he is in the twilight years of his reign, and he is easily one of the most cunning politicians in the region in terms of cutting the knees out from his opponents.”

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Issues:

Palestinian Politics