Ex-intelligence head Tawfiq al-Tirawi warns of “moral collapse” in an open letter to President Abbas, alleging graft and land theft.
RAMALLAH: A former Palestinian Authority intelligence chief has publicly accused the leadership of allowing systemic corruption to flourish.
In an open letter, Tawfiq al-Tirawi, 77, said he had repeatedly alerted President Mahmud Abbas to cases of graft without result.
“The corruption system now operates with confidence and immunity,” wrote Tirawi, a senior Fatah central committee member.
He alleged businesses and individuals were involved in seizing public and private lands and assets.
Tirawi described a “moral and ethical collapse” of Palestinian institutions in his letter.
He also accused aides around the nonagenarian Abbas of “deliberately hiding the truth” from him.
After consulting other Fatah figures, Tirawi decided to make the issue public.
He warned he would disclose details of specific cases to the media if the situation persists.
“Did our people make all these sacrifices… only for us to reach a stage where thieves and land brokers are left to spread corruption without deterrence?” Tirawi wrote.
His remarks come after more than two years of war in Gaza and escalating West Bank violence.
A fragile Gaza ceasefire began on October 10 as part of a US peace initiative.
This set in motion a complex Palestinian political reform process.
Observers say Fatah appears more incapable than ever of shaping events.
Tirawi told AFP in December 2023 that “a kind of rebellion” was brewing within the movement.
