The Palestinians: Possible Coup? - by Khaled Abu Toameh
Until recently, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas used to claim that Hamas was plotting to overthrow his government in the West Bank. Abbas’s claim was aimed at justifying the massive crackdown that his security forces have been waging against Hamas supporters in the West Bank.
But in recent weeks Abbas’s top aides have also begun talking about another threat to his government – this time from some Fatah leaders.
According to the aides, one of these Fatah leaders, Mohammed Dahlan, has been plotting to topple the Palestinian president. Dahlan is a former security commander who was thrown out of the Gaza Strip in 2007.