Hamas promotes relief work of Abbas’ Fatah rival

Mohammed Dahlan

Moath Al-Amoudi writes in Al Monitor, “Hamas is working on cementing its ties with the Democratic Reformist Current led by dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, by granting him more leeway for the work of relief and charity organizations affiliated with Fatah in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Center for Human Perseverance (Fata) announced Jan. 19 that it would fund 100 small projects for unemployed graduates in the Gaza Strip.”

“Dahlan’s wife, Jalila, established Fata in 1999 with Belgian support operating in the Palestinian territories and refugee camps in host countries. Fata offers financial and moral support for thousands of Palestinian families by providing food baskets and funding small community projects and hospitals in the Gaza Strip.”

“Fata’s work in Gaza came to a halt when Hamas took control in 2006, but it resumed its activities after relations between Fata and the Hamas government were restored in 2014. When relations between Hamas and the Reformist Current developed, Jalila started entering and exiting the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing.”…

Jalila Dahlan, founder of FATA

“A Hamas-affiliated internal security source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “Hamas follows up on Fata’s work and Gazans are well-aware that the organization led by Jalila is affiliated with Dahlan’s current and receives support from it. Fata is a relief organization that does not play any political role and its activities are completely monitored by Hamas.”…

“Nairab added, “It is not Hamas alone that decides the commission’s projects. The decision is collective and all founding factions participate in it. We believe this platform is excelling where politics fails as our achievements reflect real partnership among Palestinian society components.” (more…)