Talks between Mohammed Dahlan’s Fatah breakaway faction and Hamas could overturn Israeli and American assumptions about the Palestinian succession struggle.
Political reports indicate that Dahlan’s Democratic Reform Current is considering electoral coordination with Hamas ahead of expected Palestinian Authority legislative elections in November. The discussions could include cooperation between the two camps or even the formation of a joint list.
The development would be highly significant. Dahlan, a former senior Fatah security official, has long been viewed among "wishful thinking" Israelis and Americans as a possible future leader of the Palestinian Authority. He was once among Hamas’s fiercest rivals and played a central role in the violent struggle between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza.
A partnership with Hamas would therefore represent a dramatic reversal. It could grant the terrorist organization renewed political legitimacy while helping Dahlan’s faction challenge the current Fatah leadership.