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Dahlan's Nationalist Strategy
(Dar Al-Hayat-Saudi Arabia) - Jihad Al Khazen Mohammed Dahlan is a smart nationalist; he didn't change his beliefs to fit the Americans and the Israelis. I know him very well. Dahlan called me two or three weeks after the beginning of the Aqsa intifada. He was obviously worried, for he spent time in Israeli prisons and knew the Israelis perfectly well. He said: "Jihad, the intifada should end. We should take advantage of the international compassion toward us right now. The intifada is scaring the Israelis and is pushing them to the right and that doesn't suit us." The importance of this comment lays in the fact that it was said 32 months ago, and I leave to each Palestinian and Arab the chance to think what would have happened if the intifada had stopped then. Dahlan's opinion is that Hamas should share power with Fatah, according to the influence and importance of each, to control Palestinian affairs, and face the Israelis in any coming negotiations with power and unity.