Mohammed Dahlan Slams Mahmoud Abbas Over Postponed Palestinian Elections

Mohammed Dahlan, leader of the Reformist Current, harshly criticized Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday evening for issuing a decree to postpone Palestinian elections. Dahlan also declared that Abbas made false promises to French President Emmanuel Macron and, alongside his inner circle, is clinging to power.

Dahlan formerly served as a senior PA official and was forced into exile in the United Arab Emirates due to a dispute with Abbas. Ahead of the scheduled Palestinian elections, he planned to run a joint list with Hamas, comprising his loyalists and individuals not formally affiliated with the terror organization. It is widely assessed that Abbas postponed the elections out of fear that Fatah would lose to such a joint list.

Postponement of Elections and Accusations

Earlier, Abbas announced that the Legislative Council elections, originally set for November 28, would be postponed to September 11, 2027, and would also include a vote on the position of PA Chairman. In response, Dahlan stated that the Palestinians face "a defining moment that requires an honest stance against the systematic hijacking and deliberate destruction of national institutions."

Dahlan further emphasized that this move constitutes "a threat to our present and to the future of coming generations." According to him, "The catastrophic decree by Mahmoud Abbas, which postpones the elections for the second time, is not merely an administrative or political step. It is a blatant crime against democracy and against our Palestinian people, and a dangerous escalation in hijacking the people's will and perpetuating the grip of a regime devoid of constitutional, legal, and moral legitimacy for 15 years."

The blind clinging to power without legitimacy serves only partisan agendas and further weakens the internal front. In the absence of law and accountability, this clique of tyrants does as it pleases, including deceiving the international community and uttering frequent lies.

Institutional Corruption and Call to Action

He added that Abbas and his associates have turned governing institutions into their private property. This deals a severe blow to any hope of building a truly strong national authority with efficient institutions and legitimate leadership chosen transparently. Dahlan asserted that Palestinians are facing a political dead end and a system of widespread corruption spanning economic, administrative, political, and moral spheres.

"In the face of this reality, silence is not an option," the Palestinian official added. "Waiting is no longer an option. From this moment on, we will expand the circle of dialogue and communication with our people, across all forces without exception, to build a pressure front utilizing the energies of our people and our youth."