Shin Bet director secretly met ex-Gaza security chief Dahlan in UAE – report

Head of Israeli security agency reportedly held secret meeting with exiled former Gaza security chief, fueling rumors the former Palestinian Authority official could be enlisted in post-war governance of Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

Shin Bet chief David Zini recently met in the United Arab Emirates with Mohammed Dahlan, the exiled former Fatah security strongman who has repeatedly been discussed as a possible player in postwar Gaza, Israeli media reported Tuesday.

The Kan public broadcaster, citing Israeli and regional sources, said the meeting took place during Zini’s recent visit to the UAE.

The Shin Bet declined to address the report directly, saying, “We do not comment on the chief’s schedule.”

The reported meeting points to continued behind-the-scenes contacts among Israel, the UAE and Palestinian figures outside Hamas as officials search for a workable formula for Gaza after the war.

Dahlan, a former Gaza security chief and once one of the most powerful men in Fatah, has lived in Abu Dhabi since his rupture with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas expelled him from Fatah in 2011 following a bitter political dispute, and Dahlan has since become close to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed.

His name has resurfaced repeatedly in discussions over Gaza’s future because he is viewed by some Israeli, US and Arab officials as a Palestinian figure with security experience, Gulf connections and deep hostility toward Hamas.

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2024 that officials were considering Dahlan as a possible temporary postwar figure, including in a model under which he would help oversee a Palestinian security force vetted by the US, Israel and Egypt.

The idea remains highly sensitive. Dahlan is deeply distrusted by Abbas and many in the Palestinian Authority, while any public suggestion that he could return to Gaza with Israeli backing would likely undercut his standing among Palestinians.

Under the auspices of the US-backed Board of Peace, a separate technocratic committee has been chosen to administer Gaza.

The committee is currently led by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister with experience in planning, transportation, housing and development bodies.

Kan had previously reported that Zini visited the UAE in recent weeks, describing the trip as a sign of tightening security coordination between Israel and the Gulf state during the war and amid tensions with Iran.

No details were released on what Zini and Dahlan discussed, and there was no public confirmation from either side.