Shin Bet chief David Zini met former Fatah official during wartime UAE visit – Kan News
Shin Bet Director David Zini met former Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan during a recent visit to the UAE, Kan News reported Tuesday. The report says the sensitive meeting points to an acceleration of behind-the-scenes contacts between Israel’s defense establishment and moderate Arab figures on the “day after” war in Gaza.
Dahlan previously headed Palestinian Authority counterintelligence in Gaza and is considered a bitter enemy of Hamas, which expelled him and his men in 2007 during the violent uprising. After a conflict with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Dahlan was removed from Fatah and has lived in long-term exile in Abu Dhabi. Over time, he became a close and influential adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and built an extensive political network.
In July 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that US, Israeli, and Arab officials viewed Dahlan as the leading and most broadly acceptable candidate to assume civil and security control in Gaza after a Hamas collapse, citing his ability to command armed forces and expected Gulf financial backing.
Despite recurring reports describing him as a preferred Western option, Dahlan maintains diplomatic ambiguity and avoids public statements suggesting he would return to Gaza following an Israeli victory over Hamas. Regional intelligence officials say the meeting with Zini indicates that, despite public positioning, Dahlan remains a key figure in the US-Emirati-Israeli axis.
