Hamas has in the past declared its desire to enter the plo framework, if it receives a suitably large slice of authority within the plo, in order to change the organizations character from within. Port tehran, as one israeli commentator put it, is a channel for more. Hamas principles the principles of the hamas are stated in their covenant or charter, given in full below. Thus, the viability of a twostate solution rested on an israeli acknowledgement of the islamist movement, hamas, and on fatahs ceding power to it. The focus of this paper, however, is not the movements history or internal. Since the beginning of the current wave of palestinian violence, in september 2000, hamas has perpetrated 52 suicide attacks, in which 288 israelis were murdered and 1,646 were wounded. Pdf a new hamas through its new documents researchgate. Hamas levels of terrorist activity after joining the legitimate political sphere. Aug 28, 2014 hamas seeks to end the siege and build a port not to improve gazas civilian infrastructure but its capacity to terrorize. This sunnishiite rift, according to recent experience, can move in very di. Mbiyimoh ghogomu august 10, 2014 4 comments as the israelipalestinian conflict rages on, much of the focus lately has been on hamas. Exploring grey areas and bridging the gap in mutual interests. The history of hamas is an account of the palestinian islamist fundamentalist sociopolitical organization with an associated paramilitary force, the izz addin alqassam brigades.
Officially hamas plays on leftist ideals in efforts to gain public support to recruit terrorists and gain international sympathies for their victimization. A grassroots organization that commands wide respect among palestinians for its incorruptibility, hamas is divided into two main sections. Despite its role in establishing the damascus 10 refusal front grouping, hamas participates in the national and islamic front that was initiated by marwan barghouti. Today this activity is organized under the islamic national salvation party which operates with the pas permission. To better understand the current situation, it is important to have a more comprehensive understanding of hamas background, ideology and history. President clinton first designated hamas a terrorist organization in 1997, and this policy has been fully supported and strengthened by subsequent u. Security, democracy, economic development, institutional reforms, rule of law, human rights, civil society and gender equality as well as freedom of the press, expression and association in the pt have been continuously emphasised by european policymakers, presenting these elements as eu foreign policy priorities.
Jul 30, 2014 it also obscures hamas s curious history. Relations the palestinians are an arab people whose origins are in presentday israel, the west bank, and the gaza strip. Barriers to peace in the israelipalestinian conflict. For hamas, i would argue that the primary factors leading to an increase in terrorism after 2006 included a lack of moderation in its ideology and the inability of the palestinian government to disarm the organization and keep violence out of the realm of party. Informal name of the islamic resistance movement harakat almuqawima alislamiya, formed from its acronym in arabic. The martyr, imam hassan albanna, of blessed memory. Hamas has a host of leadership bodies that perform various political, military, and social functions. Donna robinson divine this book begins with what the author claims is a puzzle. Dr claire spencer, head of the middle east programme at chatham house, believes that the rejection of its electoral victory sowed the seeds of the movements radicalisation, though it might be more accurate to say that it strengthened the radical elements it. Heralded as one of the first democratically elected islamist parties, hamas promptly came under international scrutiny. To a certain degree, the islamist organization whose militant wing has rained rockets on israel the past.
The group was primarily a religious and charitable organization between the. The us directive to ban hamas from accessing jordan in 1999 sparked enmity and brutal underground war within the west bank region. And, what is of essential importance for jordan stems from the fact that hamas is a palestinian jihadist islamic movement, which has proven itself on the. Critics say the group is a terrorist organization that wants nothing but to wipe israel off the face of the earth. Hamas in combat the washington institute for near east policy. Mohammad and on subsequent events in muslim history. The significance of religion within ethnic and religious conflicts has risen steadily in recent decades, and especially so within the israelipalestinian conflict.
Israel is small country in the middle east, about the size of new jersey, located on the eastern shores of the mediterranean sea and bordered by egypt, jordan. Hamas in combat the washington institute for near east. Hamas, widely viewed even in the palestinian community as a. Now it is in a better position than ever before to demand a preeminent role within the organization that claims to be the sole.
Israel will exist and will continue to exist until islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it. Hamas ideology amas is a branch of the muslim brotherhood, a militant islamic movement founded in egypt in 1928 by hassan al. Aug 10, 2014 as the israelipalestinian conflict rages on, much of the focus lately has been on hamas. Hamas in the west bank a study of the political position of the west. Dec 06, 2006 hamas was democratically elected by palestinians in the west bank and gaza.
Qassam, the first leader of armed resistance in the history of modern palestine, who was killed by the british in 1935 in the events leading up to the great palestinian rebellion of 193639. The oldest son of sheikh hassan yousef, a founding member of hamas and its most popular leader, young mosab. As well as the military and political leaderships in gaza, decision making within hamas also has to take into account the views of hamas in the west bank, and most importantly of the. Fundamentally, hamas is a palestinian resistance movement that is also a part of the global organization of the muslim brotherhood. A brief history of hamas brit tzedek vshalom history of. The current structure of palestinian governing entities dates to 1994. Dec 30, 2008 hamas is an acronym for harakat almuqawama alislamia or islamic resistance movement, in english.
Hamas is an acronym for harakat almuqawama alislamia or islamic resistance movement, in english. Hamas, an acronym of harakat almuqawamah alislamiyyah, or islamic resistance movement, has its roots in the muslim brotherhood in egypt. State department, general policy is set by an overarching consultative. Hamas considers violent jihad against israel to be a religious obligation and advances its ideology through the preaching of affiliated clerics across the west bank and gaza. It has a social service wing, dawah, and a military wing, the izz addin alqassam brigades. I was held captive in the bowels of israels most feared prison facility. Ahmed yousef, senior adviser to ismail haniyeh, added in 2011 that it reflected the views of the elders in the face of a relentless occupation. Step two, enter into final peace talks with the goi. Hamas seeks to end the siege and build a port not to improve gazas civilian infrastructure but its capacity to terrorize. There are several divisions and potentials for splits within the hamas. Furthermore, it is also evident that the us supports 100% of all israeli military operations against the hamas terrorist cell. Western nations demanded that hamas renounce its violent rhetoric and practice against israel and adopt a framework unified within the palestinian authority. Hamas views these episodes as an israeli offensive and wants to send a message that gaza is not an. See list of all deadly terrorist attacks including those perpetrated by hamas since september 27, 2000.
Hamas community aid activity takes place through charity and welfare associations identified with the movement, whether founded by hamas or earlier by the muslim brotherhood, or taken over by hamas from within. And as you will see, i made choices that have made me a traitor in the eyes of people i love. Attacks from civilian centers may 2016 palestinian description of hamas. Use the link below to share a fulltext version of this article with your friends and colleagues. This is important as we watch the ongoing developments in the middle east as well as the attention which will be focused on the possibilities for a final status peace agreement in the coming months. It would make more sense to merge history of fatahhamas tensions into this article, as palestinian factional violence is a more general topic, and if any other palestinian factions start fighting they can be included in this article.
The role of islamic doctrine in hamas and hezbollah by matthew lawson a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts department of government and international affairs college of arts and sciences university of south florida major professor. Backgrounder on the issues hamas jcrc of san francisco. The fiasco that followedin which israel turned over an antidote in exchange for the release of the wouldbe assassinsestablished mishal as a. The interplay of factions within hamas has favoured the rise of armed militias, and given the party control of gazas illegal economy. Since hamass inception in 1987, it has maintained its. Hamas leader khaled meshaal has stated that the charter is a piece of history and no longer relevant, but cannot be changed for internal reasons. Hamas was democratically elected by palestinians in the west bank and gaza. The group was primarily a religious and charitable organization between the 1960s and 1980s. Historically, hamas has received funding, weapons, and training from iran, but the relationship suffered after hamas refused to follow irans lead in supporting syrian president. Since hamas was the creation of the muslim brotherhood in palestine, to understand it one must begin with the history of the parent organization in the occupied territories. Between september 2000 and april 2004, hamas perpetrated 425 terrorist attacks against israel and murdered 377 israelis nine every month. The muslim brotherhood up until the 1980s, when the radical islamic jihad broke away from the muslim brotherhood society, the history of the islamic movements in pales.
The advice and guidance provided to hamas by hizballah, syria, and iran was also important, as hamas fight. Hamasor shall we say that what yassin sort of was responsible for creatingwas primarily in the social sphere. The fatahhamas unity deal on the 4 may 2011, palestinian authority pa president mahmoud abbas and hamas leader khaled meshaal announced their intention to forge a powersharing agreement, in order to create a unity government of independent technocrats. Hamass stance with respect to joining the plo, a move hamas had always rejected. Islamiyyah islamic resistance movement is a palestinian sunniislamic fundamentalist militant organization. Hamas continues to confine its attacks to israelis inside israel and the occupied territories. So as you can see the intention at the beginning was to just kill the peace process and it even evolved to put the palestinians on a diet.
Hamas was founded in 1987 by palestinian members of the muslim brotherhood in gaza and the west bank. May 09, 2006 hamas, an acronym of harakat almuqawamah alislamiyyah, or islamic resistance movement, has its roots in the muslim brotherhood in egypt. Son of hamas pdf ebook finally, son of hamas, like the middle east, is a continuing story. Internally the hamas has consistently stated intentions of fighting for a singular islamic state, whether it. History from within, olive branch press, northampton, massachusetts, 2007, appendices. Tamimis work is a chronological history of hamas from its ideological inception from the egyptian muslim brotherhood organization all. Hamas is a terrorist organization dont trust it business. Hamas is a terrorist organization that targets innocent civilians. Hamas views these episodes as an israeli offensive and wants to send a message that gaza is not an easy bone, as hamas deputy foreign minister. Hamas presents itself as an alternative to the pa internationally, through diplomacy. Within the strip, the qassam brigades had a structured training program, and hamas personnel from lebanon, syria. History of hamas murderous attacks defensemiddle east. Hamas defined a thesis submitted to the faculty of the school of. Comparisons between hamas and groups that blend political islam with national or ethnic.
Hamas has a complicated leadership and organisational structure, with decisions being reached through discussion and consensus between the various wings of hamas. Supporters say hamas, which represents the only organized palestinian military force, is a coalition of freedom fighters and liberators defending the palestinian people. Hamas or shall we say that what yassin sort of was responsible for creatingwas primarily in the social sphere. The islamists began combining the established doctrine. A short history by augustus richard norton, princeton university press, 2007, 183 pp. Hamas has always been involved in palestinianisraeli relations and domestic palestinian. Muslim brotherhood society, the history of the islamic movements in pales. Heres the peace process gk, hamas drops their charter and they merge with the pa and adopts their government in gaza. A history from within hamas won an overwhelming electoral victory in january 2006, overturning many assumptions regionally and globally. Hamass khalid mishal on the gaza war, tunnels, and isis.
In gaza, hamas has taken the shambles of palestinian authority institu tions and worked to. Critics say the group is a terrorist organization that wants nothing but to. My unlikely journey has taken me through dark places and given me access to extraordinary secrets. Hamas covenant, article 2 nations israelis and palestinians, nor even as a struggle for national selfdetermination by an indigenous population. The foreign policy of the eu in the palestinian territory. This action put us on the spot as a potential target. The united states has consistently declared hamas a terrorist organization and rejected any attempts to engage hamas prior to its acceptance of the three criteria.
Within the strip, the qassam brigades had a structured training program, and hamas personnel from lebanon, syria, and iran came to provide instruction or other assistance. Hamas was founded in the gaza strip on 14 december 1987 by shaykh ahmad yasin with abdullah darwish, abd alaziz rantisi, salah shahada, and ahmad shama, palestinian followers of the muslim brotherhood. Tamimis work is a chronological history of hamas from its ideological inception from the egyptian muslim brotherhood organization all the way to its electoral victories in the palestinian elections. To a certain degree, the islamist organization whose militant wing has rained rockets on israel the past few weeks has the jewish state to thank for its. Expert panelists consider that question as part of the latest debate in the. Hamas has set the destruction of israel as its goal. How israel helped create hamas the washington post. Hamas maintained the pace of its operational activity in 2004, claiming numerous attacks against israeli interests.
He created the almujamma alislami, the social sphere which was registered with. West bank, and jordan were now merged into a single organization called. The idqb had received considerable training and assistance, both inside and outside of gaza. In short, the history of hamas started with the first intifada period, which.