Former Fatah official Muhammad Dahlan calls Jesus "the first self-sacrificing fighter, and the first Martyr"

Text posted on Facebook page of former Fatah official Muhammad Dahlan

Posted text: “The best of blessings and wishes for the Christian families, friends, and communities for the blessed Christmas of the prophet of peace, Jesus son of Mary, and a special blessing for our people that is celebrating this blessed event in a special way and in a different sense, because the messiah, peace be upon him, has an additional and extraordinary status in our Palestinian hearts, for he is the first self-sacrificing fighter who raised his divine message without any fear, and he is the first Mar,,tyr (see note below -Ed.) who sacrificed his life for his belief in justice – he is the first self-sacrificing fighter, and he is the first Martyr.

On behalf of Merciful Allah

‘And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive’ [Quran 19:33, Sahih International translation]

Allah spoke the truth.”

The “,,” inserted into words in the post is an apparent attempt to evade Facebook’s algorithm to remove pro-terror content.

Muhammad Dahlan - Palestinian politician, former Fatah official, and former head of the PA Preventive Security Force in the Gaza Strip (1993-2002). Dahlan now lives in the UAE after he fell out with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and had to leave the West Bank in 2011, later being convicted in absentia by the PA for fraud and sentenced to prison. Dahlan has been mentioned as one of the candidates to succeed Abbas.