Shin Bet Chief Dovid Zini, who visited the United Arab Emirates after the US-Israeli war with Iran, met there with Mohammed Dahlan, a former Fatah leader who held a senior role in the Gaza Strip, Kan News reported on Tuesday morning, citing Israeli and regional sources.

According to the report, the meeting took place during Zini’s visit to Abu Dhabi, against the backdrop of regional security developments and efforts to shape the reality in a postwar Gaza Strip.

The Shin Bet refused to address the details directly and issued a brief response: “We do not comment on the service chief’s schedule.”

Dahlan, who was tied to terror attacks resulting in the murder of Jews during the Second Intifada, has lived in exile in the UAE for many years and is considered close to the leadership in Abu Dhabi. In July 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that American, Israeli, and Arab officials view Dahlan as a candidate to govern the Gaza Strip in the postwar period.

Dahlan, 64, has long been considered PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ main rival. The WSJ described him as a “rare” Palestinian leader who operates independently of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

However, Dahlan said at the time in response to Sky News Arabia: “I have declared more than once my refusal to accept any security, ministerial, or executive role, and I call for the formulation of a realistic and implementable international work plan that will lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Since moving to the Emirates, Dahlan has accumulated tens of millions of dollars through brokering various deals, some of which, according to past claims, involved Israeli security officials. In January 2024, he condemned Hamas’s October 7 attack, saying it had brought total devastation to the Gaza Strip.

“It may lead to hope for coexistence between the two peoples, or it may open the door to a new hell and a cycle of violence and revenge,” he said.

The Wall Street Journal reported this month that Mossad chief Dedi Barnea also conducted secret visits to the Emirates during the war with Iran.

According to the report, Barnea visited the country at least twice during the 40 days of war for meetings regarding security coordination between the two countries.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)