Ramallah – Ma’an – Fatah’s controversial former Gaza security chief, Muhammad Dahlan, will have no responsibilities related to Gaza in his new role in the party’s Central Committee, he told Ma’an in an exclusive interview.

Dahlan is reviled by Hamas and other opponents of Fatah rule for what they considered an iron-fisted administration of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in Gaza. Dahlan left Gaza days before Hamas forces shut down the Preventive Security and other Fatah-backed institutions in fighting that left hundreds dead in 2007.

Dahlan also dismissed allegation that he was elected to Fatah’s governing body without the support of delegates from his native Gaza.

“I received 540 votes from the West Bank which would have been enough to put me on the Central Committee. With these votes alone, I would have been in rank 16 even if the Gazans had not voted in this conference” he said referring to Fatah’s general congress in Bethlehem earlier this month.

Dahlan received 853 votes, ranking him 10th out of 19 elected members.

The official made these comments in an interview with Ma’an’s Nasser Lahham which will air on Palestine TV on Thursday.