Bethlehem - MaÂ’an Exclusive - Hamas was behind WednesdayÂ’s blast in Khan Younis and Farouq QaddoumiÂ’s claims of assassination plots against Yasser Arafat are baseless, Fatah leader Muhammad Dahlan said Wednesday. Dahlan, speaking in public for the first time since accusations of assassination plots were launched against him and one day after an explosion injured 61 at his nephewÂ’s wedding in Gaza, launched a tirade against fellow Fatah member Qaddoumi during an interview at MaÂ’an.
Nobody died? I think that means good luck for the happy couple.
“Qaddoumi’s latest statements and the Hamas bombing work to oppose and create obstacles against the first Fatah conference that will be held in 20 years,” Dahlan said. The Gazan leader of Fatah said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had the right to take Qaddoumi to court over his accusations of colluding with Israel and the CIA to poison the late Palestinian leader Arafat. “I know how the relationship between Arafat and Qaddoumi was while they were in Tunis,” Dhalan said, hinting at the bad blood between the two Fatah leaders in the eighties.
Relationship? Bad blood? Well, that clears some things up, if ya know what I mean...
About the blast that injured 61 guests at his nephewÂ’s wedding in Khan Younis Tuesday night, Dhalan directly accused Hamas of organizing the attack.
Is he sure they weren't the entertainment?
De facto government police had earlier announced the arrest of three operatives who Israeli media claim were members of the salafist movement of Jund Allah.
Mahmoud! The usual suspects! Quickly!
Dahlan speculated that the explosion targeting his family was a sign that Hamas was scared of the upcoming Fatah Sixth Congress, which he said “will rebuild Fatah and put an end to the whole trauma.” Following the congress, Dahlan said, “Absolutely, Fatah will change for the better. If we were going to stay the same do you think Hamas would be putting obstacles in its way?”
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm...I dunno.
Dahlan promised the “coup” in Gaza would be on the agenda at the congress, noting, “We will punish those collaborators who stood silent in front of everything that was happening” in Gaza in 2007. He further urged all Fatah members in Gaza to attend the congress, saying if they were not there it would be Hamas’ fault for preventing them from leaving the Strip.
He then returned to his home to hide under his bed...