Dahlan's Power Play

It seems increasingly clear that Muhammad Dahlan, whom I have been watching for a long time, is behind much of the anti-Arafat uprising in the Gaza Strip. Ha'aretz quotes him using some strong language against Arafat and issuing a deadline of August 10 before protests escalate. The Jerusalem Post reports that Dahlan is offering cash incentives to potential supporters in the West Bank. The article also states that pro-Arafat gunmen broke up a reformist meeting in Nablus. I continue to suspect that outside powers do have a hand in the uprising, as Israel and the U.S. would love to have a strong non-Hamas hand in Gaza before the Israeli withdrawal, and if successful, Dahlan could represent that hand.