Hamas حركة المقاومة الاسلامية
Leader	Khaled Mashaal, Ismail Haniyah, Mahmoud Zahar
Founded	1987
Headquarters	Gaza
Ideology	Sunni Islamism, Nationalism
Website www.palestine-info.com www.filistinetkinlik.com

Ḥamas (حركة حماس; acronym: حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, or Ḥarakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement" is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist^[1] militant organization and political party which currently holds a majority of seats in the elected legislative council of the Palestinian Authority. Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal or Khalid Mish'al (خالد مشعل (b Ismail Haniyeh ( Arabic: إسماعيل هنية sometimes transliterated as Ismail Haniya or Ismail Haniyah) (born January 1963 is a Mahmud al-Zahar (محمود الزهار (born 1945 is a co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Palestinian occupied Gaza Strip. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Gaza (غزة, עַזָּה ʕazzā is the largest city in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only For the British newspaper and Marxist organization see Militant tendency. ^[1]

Hamas was created in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin of the Gaza wing of the Muslim Brotherhood at the beginning of the First Intifada. Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Yassin (1937 – March 22 2004 ( Arabic: ar الشيخ أحمد ياسين was the co-founder with Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, of Hamas Gaza (غزة, עַזָּה ʕazzā is the largest city in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories. The Muslim Brothers ( Arabic: الإخوان المسلمون al-ikhwān al-muslimūn, full title The Society of the Muslim Brothers, often simply الإخوان The First Intifada (1987–1993 (also " Intifada " and "war of the stones" was a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli While its military wing is known for multiple suicide bombings and other attacks^[2] directed against civilians and Israeli military and security forces targets, Hamas also runs extensive social services ^[3] and has gained popularity by establishing hospitals, education systems, libraries and other services^[4] throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. ^[3] Hamas' charter calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic state in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Islamic Republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mauritania The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west ^[5] Although Hamas has been described as antisemitic,^[6] the organisation itself rejects this charge ^[7], claiming its conflict with Israel is political and not religious^[8]. Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by Canada,^[9] Israel,^[10] Japan,^[11] and the United States,^[12] and is banned in Jordan. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern ^[13] Australia^[14] and the United Kingdom^[15] list only the military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist organization. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam The European Union lists Hamas as a group 'involved in terrorist attacks' and has implemented restrictive measures against Hamas. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[16]

Since the death of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, Hamas's political wing has won many local elections in Gaza, Qalqilya, and Nablus. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 Qalqilyah ( Arabic قلقيلية Qalqīlyaḧ; Hebrew קַלְקִילִיָה) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. Nablus ( sometimes Nābulus; Arabic:; næːblʊs is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem In January 2006, Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, taking 76 of the 132 seats in the chamber, while the ruling Fatah party took 43. On January 25 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير ^[17] The Hamas charter states: "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad,"^[18] and this stance has found a receptive audience among Palestinians; many perceived the preceding Fatah government as corrupt and ineffective, and Hamas's supporters see it as an "armed resistance"^[19] movement defending Palestinians from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. Defence The are the territories captured by Israel from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 consisting of the West Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called ^[20] However, since Hamas's election victory, particularly sharp infighting has occurred between Hamas and Fatah, leading to many Palestinian deaths. ^[21][22]

Following the Battle for Gaza in June 2007, elected Hamas officials were ousted from their positions in the Palestinian National Authority government in the West Bank, replaced by rival Fatah members and independents. The Battle of Gaza ( معركة غزّة) was a Military conflict between Hamas and Fatah which took place between June 7 and The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير ^[23][24] On June 18, 2007, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Fatah) issued a decree outlawing the Hamas militia and executive force. Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير ^[25]

According to the US State Department, the group is funded by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in other Arab states. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[12]

Name

Some disagreement exists over the meaning of the word "Ḥamas" itself. Ḥamas is an acronym of the Arabic phrase حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, or Ḥarakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement". Acronyms, initialisms, and alphabetisms are Abbreviations that are formed using the initial components in a phrase or name Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language In Arabic the word "ḥamās" translates roughly to "enthusiasm, zeal, elan, or fighting spirit" ^[26] In Hebrew, on the other hand, ḥāmās means "violence". ^[27] The initial consonant is not the ordinary /h/ of English, but a slightly more rasping sound, the voiceless pharyngeal fricative transcribed as <ḥ>. The voiceless pharyngeal fricative is a type of Consonantal sound used in some spoken Languages The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet

The military wing of Hamas, formed in 1992, is known as the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades to commemorate Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, the father of modern Arab resistance, who was killed by the British in 1935. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Sheikh Izz ad-Din al-Qassam (1882&ndash November 20, 1935) ( عزّ الدين القسّام,) full nameIzz al-Din ibn Abd al-Qadar ibn Mustapha Armed Hamas cells also sometimes refer to themselves as "Students of Ayyash", "Students of the Engineer", or "Yahya Ayyash Units",^[28] to commemorate Yahya Ayyash, an early Hamas bomb-maker killed in 1996. Yahya Abdal-Tif Ayyash (يحيى عياش February 22, 1966 - January 5, 1996) was the chief bombmaker of ^[17]

History

Main article: History of Hamas

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin founded Hamas in 1987 as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. See also Hamas The History of Hamas is an account of the Palestinian Sunni Islamist organization This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Muslim Brothers ( Arabic: الإخوان المسلمون al-ikhwān al-muslimūn, full title The Society of the Muslim Brothers, often simply الإخوان The acronym "Hamas" first appeared in 1987 in a leaflet that accused the Israeli intelligence services of undermining the moral fiber of Palestinian youth as part of Mossad's recruitment of what Hamas termed "collaborators". The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military branch, was created in 1992, a year before the Oslo Accords. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles During the 1990s and 2000s it became best known in the Western world for its suicide bombings^[2] and other attacks directed against civilians, including the Dolphinarium and the Passover suicide bombings. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons The Dolphinarium discotheque suicide bombing refers to the Suicide bombing and Mass murder, carried out by a Palestinian militant of twenty-one civilians The Passover massacre (also known as the Netanya bombing) was a Suicide bombing carried out by a Palestinian terrorist in the Park Hotel at Netanya

On January 26, 2004, senior Hamas official Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi offered a 10-year truce, or hudna, in return for a complete withdrawal by Israel from the territories captured in the Six Day War, and the establishment of a Palestinian state (it later repeated the same offer after winning the majority in the PLC, accepting the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative^[29]). Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Dr Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi (عبدالعزيز الرنتيسي ( October 23, 1947 – was the co-founder of the militant Palestinian Islamist organization Hudna (هدنة is an Arabic term meaning " Truce " or " Armistice " as well as "calm" or "quiet" coming The term Green Line is used to refer to the 1949 Armistice lines established between Israel and its neighbours ( Egypt, Jordan, Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt 2002 Arab League summit|2007 Arab League summitThe Arab Peace Initiative ( Arabic Language: مبادرة السلام العربية is a Peace initiative first proposed Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin stated that the group could accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Yassin (1937 – March 22 2004 ( Arabic: ar الشيخ أحمد ياسين was the co-founder with Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, of Hamas Rantissi confirmed that Hamas had come to the conclusion that it was "difficult to liberate all our land at this stage, so we accept a phased liberation. " He said the truce could last 10 years, though "not more than 10 years".

From the time of an attack on the Israeli southern town of Be'er Sheva in August 2004, in which 15 people were killed and 125 wounded, the truce was generally observed. Beersheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע Be'er Sheva, بئر السبع, Birüssebi is the largest City in the Negev desert of southern Hamas violated it once, in August 2005, with an attack on the same bus station, wounding seven. Also in 2005, a group claiming to be aligned with Hamas were involved in several attacks on Israelis in the Hebron area of the West Bank, killing six. ^[30][31]

While Hamas had boycotted the January 2005 presidential election, in which Mahmoud Abbas was elected to replace Yasser Arafat, it did participate in the municipal elections held between January and May 2005, in which it took control of Beit Lahia and Rafah in the Gaza Strip and Qalqilyah in the West Bank. The 2005 Palestinian presidential election &mdash the first to be held since 1996 &mdash took place on January 9, 2005 in the West Bank and Gaza Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 Municipal elections were held to elect members of local councils in the Palestinian Territories between December 2004 and December 2005 Beit Lahia (بيت لاهيا is a city located north of Jabalia, near Beit Hanoun and the 1949 Armistice Line with Israel. Rafah (رفح is a Palestinian town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border on the Sinai Qalqilyah ( Arabic قلقيلية Qalqīlyaḧ; Hebrew קַלְקִילִיָה) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. The January 2006 legislative elections marked another victory for Hamas, which gained the majority of seats in the first fair and democratic elections held in Palestine,^[32] defeating the ruling Fatah party. On January 25 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير The "List of Change and Reform", as Hamas presented itself, obtained 42. 9% of the vote and 74 of the 132 seats. ^[33]

Hamas omitted its call for the destruction of Israel from its election manifesto, calling instead for "the establishment of an independent state whose capital is Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the "^[34][35]

On February 13, 2006, in an interview in Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta,^[36] the same Khaled Mashal declared that if Israel wants "peace", it must recognize the 1967 borders, withdraw itself from all Palestinian occupied territories (including the West Bank and East Jerusalem) and recognize Palestinian rights that would include the "right of return". Nezavisimaya Gazeta (Независимая Газета "independent newspaper" is a Russian language daily Newspaper, published by Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Mashal would not acknowledge the Road map for peace, adopted by the Quartet in June 2003, because "The problem is not Hamas' stance, but Israel's stance. The "road map" for peace is a Plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a " quartet " of international entities the It is in fact not honoring the Road Map". ^[37] The Road map projected the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 2005. ^[38]

In May 2006, during demonstrations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in support of Hamas and against US-led sanctions, Hamas leaders threatened a new Intifada, as well as to "chop off" the head of anyone who tried to bring down their cabinet. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west ^[39] Furthermore, Hamas took a flexible stance that renewed support for the 2002 Arab peace initiative offering to restore normal relations with Israel in exchange for the creation of a Palestinian state. ^[40]

After the formation of the Hamas cabinet on March 20, 2006, tensions between Fatah and Hamas militants progressively rose in the Gaza strip, leading to demonstrations and violence, along with repeated attempts at a truce. ^[41]

On June 27, 2006 Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement which included the forming of a national unity government. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير On February 8, 2007, Hamas and Fatah signed a deal to end factional warfare that had killed nearly 200 Palestinians and to form a coalition, hoping this would lead Western powers to lift crippling sanctions imposed on the Hamas-led government. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[42]

The events leading to the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict began on June 9, 2006. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. During an Israeli artillery operation, an explosion occurred on a busy Gaza beach, killing eight Palestinian civilians. See also 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict The Gaza beach blast was an event on June 9, 2006 in which eight Palestinians were killed and ^[43][44] It was initially assumed that Israeli shellings were responsible for the killings, although Israeli government officials later denied this. Hamas formally withdrew from its 16-month ceasefire on June 10, taking responsibility for the subsequent Qassam rocket attacks launched from Gaza into Israel. A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem The Qassam rocket ( صاروخ القسام; also Kassam) is a simple steel Rocket filled with explosives produced by Hamas. [1]

On June 29, Israel captured 64 Hamas officials. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Amongst them were eight Palestinian Authority cabinet ministers and up to twenty members of the Palestinian Legislative Council,^[45] as well as heads of regional councils, and the mayor of Qalqilyah and his deputy. The Palestinian Legislative Council (sometimes referred to as the Palestinan Parliament) the Legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a Unicameral Qalqilyah ( Arabic قلقيلية Qalqīlyaḧ; Hebrew קַלְקִילִיָה) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. At least a third of the Hamas cabinet was captured and held by Israel. On 6 August Israeli forces detained the Hamas' Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Aziz Dweik, at his home in the West Bank. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. The Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council is the chairman of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Abdel Aziz Duwaik (Arabic عبد العزيز دويك is a member of Hamas, and the current Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council since January 18

In June, renewed fighting broke out between Hamas and Fatah. As of June 14, 2007, the current Palestinian government has been dissolved. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. President Mahmoud Abbas has dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government. [2].

There was a brief war in which Hamas seized control of Gaza and the Palestinian Authority was effectively split in two: Hamas controlling Gaza and Fatah controlling the West Bank. The Battle of Gaza ( معركة غزّة) was a Military conflict between Hamas and Fatah which took place between June 7 and It is reported that violence continued as of June 16th, 2007. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses.

Leaders of Hamas and Fatah met in the Yemeni capital San‘a’ on 23 March 2008 and agreed to the tentative "Sana'a Declaration" to resume conciliatory talks. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[46]

Politics

A flag, with the Shahadah, frequently used by Hamas supporters

Hamas, whose members largely come from the squalid refugee camps of Gaza from persons displaced from Israel's 1948 war of independence, has been far less accommodating with the occupation than has their competitor Fatah, with one Hamas parliamentarian denouncing the 1993 Oslo Accords as "not a peace process" and "a process of deception and cheating, lies which enabled Israel to truncate our homeland with settlements, separation walls, roadblocks, and closed military zones. The Shahada ( Arabic: ar الشهادة, from the verb ar شهد "to testify" is the Islamic Creed. Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles "^[47]

Hamas considers all of pre-1948 Palestine to be the Palestinian homeland. This includes the present-day State of Israel — as well as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank — as an inalienable Islamic waqf or religious bequest, which can never be surrendered to non-Muslims. A waqf ( plural, awqāf; vakıf wæqəf is an inalienable religious endowment in Islam, typically devoting a building or plot of land for Muslim A Non-Muslim Islamic scholar is a scholar of Islam who is not a Muslim. It asserts that struggle (jihad) to regain control of the land from Israel is the religious duty of every Muslim (fard `ain). Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims.

Hamas does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state, unlike the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which recognizes it since 1988. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary Its charter calls for an end to Israel. During the election campaign, Hamas did not mention its call for the destruction of Israel in its electoral manifesto. ^[34] But several Hamas candidates insist that the charter is still in force and often called for Israel to be "wiped off the map" in campaign speeches. On January 25, 2006, after winning the Palestinian elections, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar gave an interview to Al-Manar TV denouncing foreign demands that Hamas recognize Israel's right to exist. Mahmud al-Zahar (محمود الزهار (born 1945 is a co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Palestinian occupied Gaza Strip. Al-Manar (المنار The Beacon) is the satellite Television station of Hezbollah, broadcasting from Beirut, ^[48] After the establishment of Hamas government, Dr Al-Zahar stated his "dreams of hanging a huge map of the world on the wall at my Gaza home which does not show Israel on it. . . I hope that our dream to have our independent state on all historic Palestine (including Israel). This dream will become real one day. I'm certain of this because there is no place for the state of Israel on this land". He also "didn't rule out the possibility of having Jews, Muslims and Christians living under the sovereignty of an Islamic state, adding that the Palestinians never hated the Jews and that only the Israeli occupation was their enemy". ^[49]

Hamas's charter calls for the eventual creation of an Islamic Republic in their historic homeland of Palestine, in place of Israel. ^[50] Hamas sees this view as an Islamic religious duty and prophesy that comes directly from Hadith. Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic In 1999, late Hamas co-founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin mentioned the year 2027 as the possible date for the "disappearance" of Israel. Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Yassin (1937 – March 22 2004 ( Arabic: ar الشيخ أحمد ياسين was the co-founder with Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, of Hamas ^[51][52] The group has not issued a clear statement about how it would deal with the current population of Israel, should it succeed in overthrowing Israeli and secular Palestinian government. Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, one of its co-founders, stated that the movement's goal is "to remove Israel from the map". Dr Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi (عبدالعزيز الرنتيسي ( October 23, 1947 – was the co-founder of the militant Palestinian Islamist organization ^[53] On February 13, 2005, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal declared that Hamas would stop armed struggle against Israel if Israel recognized the 1967 borders, withdrew from all Palestinian territories and accepted the demand for "Palestinian right of return" (see below). Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal or Khalid Mish'al (خالد مشعل (b Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The term Green Line is used to refer to the 1949 Armistice lines established between Israel and its neighbours ( Egypt, Jordan, The Palestinian right of return ( Arabic: حق العودة Ḥaqq al-ʿawda; Hebrew: זכות השיבה zkhut hashivah) is a political

According to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Hamas views the Arab-Israeli conflict as "a religious struggle between Islam and Judaism that can only be resolved by the destruction of the State of Israel". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (TWI known informally as WINEP is a Washington DC-based Think tank which concerns itself with U For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut ^[54]. Hamas uses both political activities and violence to pursue its goal of establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel and the secular Palestinian Authority. Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently Israeli military operations during the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2002 put pressure on Hamas in the West Bank following several bombings in Israel for which Hamas claimed responsibility. Hamas has also engaged in peaceful political activities, including running candidates in West Bank Chamber of commerce elections. A chamber of commerce (also referred to in some circles as a board of trade) is a form of Business network.

During the election campaign the organization toned down criticism of Israel in its election manifesto, stating only that it was prepared to use "armed resistance to end the occupation". ^[55]

The slogan of Hamas is "God is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Qur'an its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of God is the loftiest of its wishes. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity " Hamas states that its objective is to support the oppressed and wronged and "to bring about justice and defeat injustice, in word and deed. " Hamas believes that "the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf (trust) consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day," and as such, the land cannot be negotiated away by any political leader. A waqf ( plural, awqāf; vakıf wæqəf is an inalienable religious endowment in Islam, typically devoting a building or plot of land for Muslim In Islam, Yawm al-Qiyāmah "the Day of Resurrection" (يوم القيامة or Yawm ad-Din "the Day of Faith" (يوم الدين is God's final Hamas rejects "so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences" as "in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement", stating "there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad". Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. ^[56]

The Possibility of a Ceasefire with Israel

Hamas omitted its call for the destruction of Israel from its election manifesto, calling instead for "the establishment of an independent state whose capital is Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the "^[34][35] On February 8, Hamas head Khaled Mashal speaking in Cairo had clarified that "Anyone who thinks Hamas will change is wrong", stating that while Hamas is willing for a ceasefire with Israel, its long term goal remains: Israel must withdraw from all land occupied in 1967. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal or Khalid Mish'al (خالد مشعل (b Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. ^[57]

On February 13, 2006, in an interview in Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta,^[58] Mashal declared that Hamas would stop armed struggle against Israel if it recognized the 1967 borders, withdrew itself from all Palestinian occupied territories (including the West Bank and East Jerusalem) and recognized Palestinian rights that would include the "right of return". Nezavisimaya Gazeta (Независимая Газета "independent newspaper" is a Russian language daily Newspaper, published by Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. He reaffirmed this stance in a March 5, 2008 interview with Al Jazeera English,^[59] citing Hamas's signing of the 2005 Cairo Declaration and the National Reconciliation Document, and denied any rejectionist stance. Al Jazeera English is a 24-hour English-language News and current affairs TV channel headquartered in Doha, Qatar. The " Prisoners' Document," officially the National Reconciliation Document, is a document written in 2006 by Palestinian prisoners who were being held in Critics of this offer suggest that Israel would never accept the Palestinian refugees right of return, as it would create a demographic majority of Muslims in Israel, and thus cancel its Jewish nature. Hamas does not feel bound by the "Road Map to Peace" promoted by the Diplomatic Quartet, since in its view Israel is not abiding by it. The Quartet on the Middle East, sometimes called the Diplomatic Quartet or Madrid Quartet or simply the Quartet, is a foursome of nations and International ^[60] Hamas rejects the establishment of a "Palestinian entity [. . . ] with no true sovereignty, whose principal duty is to maintain Israel's security. "^[59]

After coming to power, some Hamas leaders have announced that Hamas was giving up suicide attacks and "offered a 10-year truce [with Israel] in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories: the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. "^[61][62][63] Hamas also declared a unilateral ceasefire with Israel which, after Israeli air strikes in response to Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza, was formally renounced. ^[64]

According to Steven Erlanger of the New York Times, Hamas excludes the possibility of long term reconciliation with Israel. Steven J Erlanger is an American journalist who has been the Paris bureau chief for The New York Times since 2008 "Since the Prophet Muhammad made a temporary hudna, or truce, with the Jews about 1,400 years ago, Hamas allows the idea. Hudna (هدنة is an Arabic term meaning " Truce " or " Armistice " as well as "calm" or "quiet" coming But no one in Hamas says he would make a peace treaty with Israel or permanently give up any part of Palestine. "[3]. Mkhaimer Abusada, a political scientist at Al Azhar University explains that “They (Hamas) talk of hudna, not of peace or reconciliation with Israel. Hudna (هدنة is an Arabic term meaning " Truce " or " Armistice " as well as "calm" or "quiet" coming They believe over time they will be strong enough to liberate all historic Palestine. ”[4]

On April 21st, 2008, former U. S. President and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter met with Hamas Leader Khaled Meshal and reached an agreement that Hamas will respect the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip areas seized by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967, provided this be ratified by the Palestinian people in a referendum. The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish, Danish and Nobels fredspris is one of five Nobel Prizes Bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal or Khalid Mish'al (خالد مشعل (b The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt Carter had made several other requests, but these were turned down. Hamas later announced publicly an offer for a 10 year hudna with Israel, should they decide to return to their 1967 borders and allow the return of all Palestinian refugees. Hudna (هدنة is an Arabic term meaning " Truce " or " Armistice " as well as "calm" or "quiet" coming Several nations originally rejected the plan, but Israel is yet to respond. ^[65][66]

The Covenant of Hamas

See also: wikisource:Hamas Covenant

The 1988 Hamas Covenant (or Charter) states that the organization's goal is to "raise the banner of God over every inch of Palestine," in order to establish an Islamic Republic. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' Islamic Republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mauritania

The thirty-six articles of the Covenant detail the movement's Islamist beliefs regarding the primacy of Islam in all aspects of life. The Covenant identifies Hamas as the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine and considers its members to be Muslims who "fear God and raise the banner of Jihad in the face of the oppressors. " Hamas describes resisting and quelling the enemy as the individual duty of every Muslim and prescribes vigilant roles for all members of society; including men and women, professionals, scientists and students.

The Covenant outlines the organization's position on various issues, including social and economic development and ideological influences, education, as well as its position regarding Israel. Amongst many other things, it reiterates the group's rejection of the coexistence principle of the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Activities

Provision of social welfare and education

Hamas is particularly popular among Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, though it also has a following in the West Bank, and to a lesser extent in other Middle Eastern countries. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Since its formation in 1987, Hamas has conducted numerous social, political, and military actions. Its popularity stems in part from its welfare and social services to Palestinians in the occupied territories, including school and hospital construction. "Social welfare" redirects here For other uses see Welfare A social welfare provision refers to any program which seeks to provide Occupied territories is a Term of art in International law. In accordance with Article 42 of the Laws and Customs of War on Land (Fourth Hague Convention October The group devotes much of its estimated $70 million annual budget to an extensive social services network, running many relief and education programs, and funds schools, orphanages, mosques, healthcare clinics, soup kitchens, and sports leagues. According to the Israeli scholar Reuven Paz "approximately 90 percent of the organization's work is in social, welfare, cultural, and educational activities". Reuven Paz (born 14 November 1950) is an Israeli scholar specializing in Islam and Islamic movements in the Arab and Muslim world the Arab minority ^[67]

In 1973, the Islamic center 'Mujamma' was established in Gaza and started to offer clinics, blood banks, day care, medical treatment, meals and youth clubs. The centre plays an important role for providing social care to the people, particularly those living in refugee camps. It also extended financial aid and scholarships to young people who wanted to study in Saudi Arabia and the West. ^[68] In particular, Hamas funded health services where people could receive free or inexpensive medical treatment. Hamas greatly contributed to the health sector, and facilitated hospital and physician services in the Palestinian territory. On the other hand, Hamas’s use of hospitals is sometimes criticised as purportedly serving the promotion of suicide bombings and other forms of violence against Israel. Hamas also funded education as well as the health service, and built Islamic charities, libraries, mosques, education centers for women. They also built nurseries, kindergartens and supervised religious schools that provide free meals to children. When children attend their schools and mosques, parents are required to sign oaths of allegiance. Refugees, as well as those left without homes, are able to claim financial and technical assistance from Hamas. ^[69]

In any case, Hamas has significantly increased literacy in areas where it is active. Hamas also funds a number of other charitable activities, primarily in the Gaza Strip. These include religious institutions, medical facilities, and social needs of the area's residents. The work of Hamas in these fields supplements that provided by the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA). United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA) is a relief and human development agency providing education health care social services Hamas is also well regarded by Palestinians for its efficiency and perceived lack of corruption compared to Fatah. ^[70][71]

Funding

The majority of Hamas funding comes from Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi ^[72][73] According to the U.S. State Dept,^[12] Hamas is also funded by Iran (led by a Shi'i Islamic regime), Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in other Arab states. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The party is known to support families of suicide bombers after their deaths. Some believe the financial support includes a monthly allowance. ^[74] Various sources, among them United Press International,^[75] Le Canard enchaîné, Bill Baar, Gérard Chaliand^[76] and L'Humanité^[77] have highlighted that Hamas' early growth had been supported by the Mossad as a "counterbalance to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)". Le Canard enchaîné (French The Chained Duck) is a Satirical Newspaper published weekly in France. Gérard Chaliand (born 1934 is a French-Armenian expert in armed-conflict studies and in international and strategic relations especially Asymmetric conflicts L'Humanité ("Humanity" formerly the daily newspaper of the French Communist Party (PCF was founded in 1904 by Jean Jaurès, a leader of the The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary Furthermore, the French investigative newspaper Le Canard enchaîné stated that Shin Bet had also supported Hamas as a counterweight to the PLO and Fatah, in an attempt to give "a religious slant to the conflict, in order to make the West believe that the conflict was between Jews and Muslims", thus supporting the controversial thesis of a "clash of civilizations". The Clash of Civilizations is a Theory, proposed by Political scientist Samuel P ^[78]

The charitable trust Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development was accused in December 2001 of funding Hamas^[79]. A charitable trust is a trust established for charitable purposes and is a more specific term than " charitable organisation " The Holy Land Foundation was the largest Islamic charity in the United States.

Other

The main website of Hamas provides translations of official communiqués in Persian language, Urdu, Malay, Russian, English, and Arabic. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language

In 2005, Hamas announced its intention to launch an experimental TV channel, "Al-Aqsa". The station was launched on January 7, 2006, less than three weeks before the Palestinian legislative elections. On January 25 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority ^[80] It included a TV show for children.

Controversies

Antisemitism

See also: Antisemitism in the Arab world

Article 22 of the Hamas Covenant claims that the French revolution, the Russian revolution, colonialism and both world wars were created by the Zionists. Jewish exodus from Arab lands|Islam and Antisemitism|Anti Jewish Arabism Oxymoronic, as The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an It also claims the Freemasons and Rotary clubs are Zionist fronts. Rotary International is an organization of Service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world

You may speak as much as you want about regional and world wars. They were behind World War I, when they were able to destroy the Islamic Caliphate, making financial gains and controlling resources. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All They obtained the Balfour Declaration, formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the world. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 They were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments, and paved the way for the establishment of their state. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including It was they who instigated the replacement of the League of Nations with the United Nations and the Security Council to enable them to rule the world through them. There is no war going on anywhere, without having their finger in it. ^[81]

Furthermore, Article 32 of the Covenant makes reference to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion:

Today it is Palestine, tomorrow it will be one country or another. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion ( Protocols of the wise men of Zion, Library of Congress 's Uniform Title; "Протоколы The Zionist plan is limitless. After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River The Euphrates ( ( Arabic: ar نهر الفرات; Turkish: tr Fırat Syriac: syr ܦܪܬ; Hebrew: he פרת When they will have digested the region they overtook, they will aspire to further expansion, and so on. Their plan is embodied in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", and their present conduct is the best proof of what we are saying.

However, in 1998, Esther Webman of the Project for the Study of Anti-Semitism at the Tel Aviv University wrote:

. Tel Aviv University (TAU אוניברסיטת תל־אביב את"א is Israel 's largest on-site University, located in Tel Aviv. . . . the anti-Semitic rhetoric in Hamas leaflets is frequent and intense. Nevertheless, anti-Semitism is not the main tenet of Hamas ideology. Generally no differentiation was made in the leaflets between Jew and Zionist, in as much as Judaism was perceived as embracing Zionism, although in other Hamas publications and in interviews with its leaders attempts at this differentiation have been made. "^[82]

In an editorial in The Guardian in January 2006, Khaled Meshaal, the chief of Hamas's political bureau denied antisemitism:

"Our message to the Israelis is this: We do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Khaled Mashal, also known as Khaled Mashaal or Khalid Mish'al (خالد مشعل (b Jews have lived in the Muslim world for 13 centuries in peace and harmony; they are in our religion "the people of the book" who have a covenant from God and his messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him), to be respected and protected. "
"Our conflict with you is not religious but political. We have no problem with Jews who have not attacked us — our problem is with those who came to our land, imposed themselves on us by force, destroyed our society and banished our people. "^[8]

Children's web site

Al Fateh is Hamas' web site for children. The site says it is for "the young builders of the future" and it has a link to the official web site. ^[83] Several Israeli reviews and news coverages of the site describe it as hate-mongering and accuse it of glorifying death and suicide for God ^{[84] [85]}

According to CAMERA and others, "Issue number 38 of Al-Fateh, includes a photograph of the decapitated head of a female suicide bomber. The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA is a Boston -based non-profit pro-Israel media watchdog group which was founded in 1982 "^{[86] [87][83]}

Crackdown on dissent and on the Press

Human rights groups and ordinary Gazans accuse Hamas of forcefully suppressing dissent. An August 26, 2007 article from British conservative newspaper The Telegraph accuses Hamas of using criminal means, including torture, political detentions, and firing on unarmed protesters who object to Hamas policies. For "The Daily Telegraph" in Australia see The Daily Telegraph (Australia. ^[88]

Hamas members have also been harassing and arresting Palestinian journalists in Gaza [5],[6]. On August 29, 2007 Palestinian health officials reported that Hamas had been shutting down Gaza clinics in retaliation for doctor strikes - Hamas confirmed that "punitive measure against doctors" who, according to Hamas, "incite others to strike and suspend services" have been taken. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [7]

On September 3rd, 2007 Hamas disbanded the Gaza Strip branch of the pro-Fatah Union of Palestinian Journalists, a move that was criticised by Reporters without borders. Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير ^[89]

On September 7th, 2007 Hamas banned public prayers, after Fatah supporters began holding worship sessions that quickly escalated into raucous protests against Hamas rule. Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير Hamas security forces beat several gathering supporters and journalists. ^[90]

On November 14, 2007 Hamas arrested a British journalist and canceled all press cards in Gaza. No news photography is allowed without a license from Hamas. [8], [9]

On Feb 8, 2008 Hamas banned distribution of Al-Ayyam newspaper and closure of its offices in the Gaza Strip due to a caricature that mocked legislators loyal to Hamas[10],[11]. Hamas had later issued an arrest request for the editor[12].

Militancy and terrorism

Attacks on civilians

Since the group considers all Israel to be a "militarized society" Hamas condones attacks on civilian targets. Militarism is the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or The group's willingness to target civilian facilities including buses, supermarkets, and restaurants is the reason why some governments classify it as a terrorist movement (although Hamas claims to be a national liberation movement). Wars of national liberation are conflicts fought by indigenous military groups against an imperial power in the name of Self-determination, thus attempting

Hamas officials have stated several times that they are willing to stop attacks on Israeli civilian targets if Israel stops attacking Palestinian civilian targets in return. ^[91] In May 2003, Abdel Aziz Rantisi has said,

"The Hamas movement is prepared to stop terror against Israeli civilians if Israel stops killing Palestinian civilians . Dr Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi (عبدالعزيز الرنتيسي ( October 23, 1947 – was the co-founder of the militant Palestinian Islamist organization . . We have told (Palestinian Authority Prime Minister) Abu Mazen in our meetings that there is an opportunity to stop targeting Israeli civilians if the Israelis stop assassinations and raids and stop brutalizing Palestinian civilians. "^[92]

Hamas has been responsible for launching suicide attacks against Israeli civilians, the group sees the attacks as the main element of its asymmetric warfare against Israel. Asymmetric warfare originally referred to War between two or more belligerents whose relative military power differs significantly Hamas' first use of suicide bombing occurred on April 16, 1993 when a suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden van detonated between two buses parked at a restaurant. This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons Events 1178 BC - A Solar eclipse may have marked the return of Odysseus, legendary King of Ithaca, to his kingdom Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) It was Hamas' 19th known attack since 1989 (the others being shootings, kidnappings and knife attacks). ^[93]

Hamas continued to launch suicide attacks during the Oslo Accords period (see List of Hamas suicide attacks). List of Suicide attacks carried out by Hamas The criteria used for this list deliberate attacks committed by Hamas against civilians using suicide bombers

During the second Intifada, Hamas, along with the Islamic Jihad Movement, spearheaded the violence through the years of the Palestinian uprising. The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (حركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين - Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn ^[94] Since then Hamas has conducted many attacks on Israel, mainly through its military wing — the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam These attacks have included large-scale suicide bombings against Israeli civilian targets, the most deadly of which was the bombing of a Netanya hotel on March 27, 2002, in which 30 people were killed and 140 were wounded. This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. This attack has also been referred to as the Passover massacre since it took place on the first night of the Jewish festival of Passover. The Passover massacre (also known as the Netanya bombing) was a Suicide bombing carried out by a Palestinian terrorist in the Park Hotel at Netanya Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish Overall, from November 2000 to April 2004, 377 Israeli citizens and soldiers were killed and 2,076 wounded in 425 attacks by Hamas. ^[95] The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a comprehensive list of Hamas attacks. [13]

In a 2002 report, Human Rights Watch stated that Hamas' leaders "should be held accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity" that have been committed by its members. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. War crimes are "violations of the laws or customs of war" including but not limited to "murder the ill-treatment or deportation of civilian residents of an occupied In Public international law, a crime against humanity is an act of Persecution or any large scale atrocities against a body of people and is the highest level of ^[96]

In May 2006 Israel arrested Hamas top official Ibrahim Hamed whom Israeli security officials claim was responsible for dozens of suicide bombings and other attacks on Israelis. Ibrahim Hamed (إبراهيم حامد is a Hamas military commander in the West Bank who ordered suicide bombing attacks during the Al-Aqsa Intifada until This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons ^[97]

Since 2002, militants have used homemade Qassam rockets to hit Israeli towns in the Negev, such as Sderot. The Qassam rocket ( صاروخ القسام; also Kassam) is a simple steel Rocket filled with explosives produced by Hamas. The Negev (נֶגֶב Tiberian vocalization: Néḡeḇ) is the Desert region of southern Israel. Sderot (שְׂדֵרוֹת a western Negev City, in the Southern District of Israel. Although Hamas does not claim responsibility for the attacks, it has condoned them. These attacks are outlined in the List of Qassam rocket attacks. This is a list of notable and/or newsworthy Qassam rocket and mortar attacks in the background context of the larger number of both rocket and mortar attacks The introduction of the Qassam-2 rocket has allowed militants to reach large Israeli cities such as Ashkelon, bringing great concern to the Israeli populace and many attempts by the Israeli military to stop the proliferation and use of the rockets. Ashkelon (אַשְׁקְלוֹן ٲشكلون also عسقلان; Latin: Ascalon; Akkadian: Isqalluna is a coastal city in southern

Guerrilla warfare

Two Hamas militants with a Yasin Rocket-propelled grenade. The Yasin ( ياسين) anti-tank rocket launcher is a weapon developed by Hamas ' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, named after the group's spiritual leader RPG or rocket-propelled grenade, is a loose term describing hand-held shoulder-launched Anti-tank weapons capable of firing an unguided

Hamas has made great use of guerrilla tactics in the Gaza Strip and to a lesser degree the West Bank. ^[98] Hamas has successfully adapted these techniques over the years since its inception. According to a 2006 report by rival Fatah party, Hamas had smuggled "between several hundred and 1,300 tons" of advanced rockets, along with other weaponry, into Gaza. Some Israelis and some Gazans both noted similarities in Hamas's military buildup to that of Hezbollah in the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation ^[98]

Hamas has used IEDs and anti-tank rockets against the IDF in Gaza. An improvised explosive device ( IED) is a Bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional Military action A shoulder-launched missile weapon is a Weapon that fires a Projectile at a target, yet is small enough to be carried by a single person and fired while The latter include standard RPG-7 warheads and home-made rockets such as the Al-Bana, Al-Batar and Al-Yasin. The RPG-7 (РПГ-7 is a widely-produced portable shoulder-launched, Anti-tank Rocket propelled grenade weapon The al-Bana (البنا rocket launcher is a weapon developed by Hamas 's Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades under the direction of Adnan al-Ghoul and Mohammed For other uses of the term Batar please see Batar (disambiguation The Batar (البتار rocket launcher is a weapon developed by The Yasin ( ياسين) anti-tank rocket launcher is a weapon developed by Hamas ' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, named after the group's spiritual leader The home-made rockets proved ineffective against Israeli armor, while Popular Resistance Committees' IEDs destroyed 3 Israeli tanks in 2002. The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC are various Palestinian militant organizations which operate in the Gaza Strip and are regarded as terrorist organizations See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The IDF has a difficult, if not impossible time trying to find hidden weapons caches in Palestinian areas — this is due to the high local support base Hamas enjoys. ^[99]

Others attacked

In addition to killing Israeli civilians, Hamas has also attacked Israeli military and security forces (occasionally inside Israel), suspected Palestinian collaborators, and Fatah rivals. Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير ^[100]

On February 2007, members of the Palestinian Red Crescent, speaking on conditions on anonymity, said that Hamas had confiscated their humanitarian supply convoys that were destined for Palestinian civilians. The Palestine Red Crescent Society was founded in 1968, by Fathi Arafat, Yassar Arafat 's brother Hamas claims the supplies were heading to former members of Fatah. ^[101]

Hamas and the United States

See also: Israel–United States relations

It has been alleged that Hamas threatens the United States through covert cells on U. Israel–United States relations have evolved from an initial United States policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish homeland in 1947 S. soil, and that the FBI and United States Department of Justice are aware of these cells. For animal rights group see Justice Department (JD The United States Department of Justice ( DOJ) is a Cabinet department ^[102][103] According to Steven Emerson,

Hamas has an extensive infrastructure in the US mostly revolving around the activities of fundraising, recruiting and training members, directing operations against Israel, organizing political support and operating through human-rights front groups. Steven Emerson is an American investigative journalist specializing in national security Terrorism, and Islamic extremism. While Hamas has not acted outside Israel, it has the capability of carrying out attacks in America if it decided to enlarge the scope of its operations. ^[104]

FBI director Robert Mueller has testified to the Senate Intelligence Committee that,

It is the FBI's assessment, at this time, that there is a limited threat of a coordinated terrorist attack in the U. The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (sometimes referred to as SSCI) is S. from Palestinian terrorist organizations, such as HAMAS, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, and the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (كتائب شهداء الأقصى is a coalition of Palestinian militias in These groups have maintained a longstanding policy of focusing their attacks on Israeli targets in Israel and the Palestinian territories. We believe that the primary interest of Palestinian terrorist groups in the U. S. remains the raising of funds to support their regional goals. [. . . ] Of all the Palestinian groups, HAMAS has the largest presence in the U. S. with a robust infrastructure, primarily focused on fundraising, propaganda for the Palestinian cause, and proselytizing. Although it would be a major strategic shift for HAMAS, its U. S. network is theoretically capable of facilitating acts of terrorism in the U. S. ^[105]

On November 8, 2006, after Israeli artillery shells killed 19 Palestinian civilians, Hamas's military wing released a statement condemning both Israel and America. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "America is offering political, financial and logistic cover for the Zionist occupation crimes, and it is responsible for the Beit Hanoun massacre. Therefore, the people and the [Islamic] nation all over the globe are required to teach the American enemy tough lessons," Hamas said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Hamas-led Palestinian government denied any involvement with the statement, saying "Our battle is against the occupation on the Palestinian land. We have no interest to transfer the battle. " Hamas militants have historically directed their suicide bombings and rocket attacks only against Israeli targets. ^[106][107]

Summary executions

Human Rights Watch has cited a number of summary executions as particular examples of violations of the rules of warfare, including the case of Muhammad Swairki, 28, a cook for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's presidential guard, who was thrown to his death, with his hands and legs tied, from a 15-story apartment building in Gaza City. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. [14],[15],[16]

Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups frequently extrajudicially execute or otherwise punish those they consider collaborators with Israel. Frequent killings of unarmed people have also occurred during Hamas-Fatah clashes. [17],[18], [19],[20],[21]

2008 protests

Thousands of angry Hamas loyalists marched February 24, 2008 at the funeral of a Muslim preacher who died in Palestinian custody, turning the ceremony into a rare show of defiance against President Mahmoud Abbas. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Angered by preacher's death, protesters stand against Abbas.

International perception of Hamas

According to National Public Radio, a non-commercial broadcasting organization in the U. S. , "Israel and many Western powers have struggled with how best to interact with a group that is at once labeled terrorist and, at the same time, is the legitimately elected leadership of the Palestinian National Authority. "^[108]

Canada describes Hamas as a "a radical Sunni Muslim terrorist organization". Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page ^[9][109]

China has expressed its support for Hamas as recent as 2006, when the Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmed al-Zahar visited China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National However, China has more recently announced its support for the (now ruling) rival Fatah government, and as such, the exact nature of their continuing relationship is unclear.

The European Union lists Hamas among its list of entities against which it applies restrictions in order to combat terrorism. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[16]

Israel's ministry of foreign affairs claims that "Hamas maintains a terrorist infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank, and acts to carry out terrorist attacks in the territories and Israel. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. "^[110] In February 2008 an Haaretz poll indicated that 64% of Israelis favour their government holding direct talks with Hamas in Gaza about a cease-fire and the release of captives. (הארץ "The land" referring to the Land of Israel) founded in 1918 is Israel 's oldest Daily newspaper. ^[111]

Japan stated in 2005 that it froze the assets of "terrorist organizations, including. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. . . Hamas. "^[112]

The United States lists HAMAS as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[12] According to the US State Department, the group is funded by Iran, Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi ^[12]

Jordan has banned Hamas. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern ^[13]

The military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is listed as a terrorist organization by Australia,^[14] and the United Kingdom. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades ( كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[15]

In a 2007 Pew Global Attitudes Survey, 62% of Palestinians have a favorable opinion of Hamas, as do majorities or pluralities in Jordan and Morocco. The Pew Research Center is a Think tank based in Washington D Opinions of Hamas are divided in Egypt and Kuwait, and Hamas is viewed negatively in Turkey and Lebanon. ^[113]

Legal action against Hamas

In a 2002 report, Human Rights Watch stated that Hamas' leaders "should be held accountable for the war crimes and crimes against humanity" that have been committed by its members. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. War crimes are "violations of the laws or customs of war" including but not limited to "murder the ill-treatment or deportation of civilian residents of an occupied In Public international law, a crime against humanity is an act of Persecution or any large scale atrocities against a body of people and is the highest level of ^[96]

In 2004, a federal court in the United States found Hamas liable in a civil lawsuit for the 1996 murders of Yaron and Efrat Ungar near Bet Shemesh, Israel. Beit Shemesh (בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ officially also spelled Bet Shemesh) is a city in Israel 's Jerusalem District, at the end of 2007 home For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Hamas has been ordered to pay the families of the Ungars $116 million. ^[114] On July 5, 2004, the court issued a default judgment against the PNA and the PLO regarding the Ungars' claim that the Palestinian Authority and the PLO provide safe haven to Hamas. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary

On August 20, 2004, three Palestinians, one a naturalized American citizen, were charged with a "lengthy racketeering conspiracy to provide money for terrorist acts in Israel. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion " The indicted include Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, senior member of Hamas, believed to be currently in Damascus, Syria and considered a fugitive by the U. Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook ( Arabic: موسى محمد ابو مرزوق; born January 9, 1951) is a senior Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from Custody, whether it be from private Slavery, a government Arrest, government or non-government questioning S. .

On 1 February 2007, two men were acquitted of contravening US law by supporting Hamas. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [22] Both men argued that they helped move money for Palestinian causes aimed at helping the Palestinian people and not to promote terrorism.

See also

• List of Hamas suicide attacks
• Palestinian territories
• Hamastan
• Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development
• Qassam rocket
• Members of Hamas called Qawasameh
• Palestinian political violence
• Islamic fundamentalism
• PLO and Hamas
• Muslim Brotherhood
• List of political parties in the Palestinian National Authority
• Human rights in the Palestinian National Authority
• Fatah-Hamas conflict
• Islam
• Jihad
• Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Military Wing of Hamas)

Sources

• Hawala. An Informal Payment System and Its Use to Finance Terrorism, Sebastian R. Müller (Dec. 2006), ISBN: ISBN-10: 3865506569, ISBN-13: 978-3865506566
• [23] Hamas militants fire rockets at Israel

Notes and references

External links

• Hamas Tv Live Broadcast
• Britannica
• Encarta
• "Hamas and the PLO: Hostile Takeover of a Shell Company" Analysis by the Reut Institute(Dec 05)
• Fatah Hamas Unity: End to Political Process or New Opportunity? Analysis by the Reut Institute (Dec 07)
• "The Growing Hamas-Al Qaeda Connection" published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
• "Understanding the Direction of the New Hamas Government: Between Tactical Pragmatism and Al-Qaeda Jihadism" published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
• "Hamas' Determination to Perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: The Critical Role of Hate Indoctrination" published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
• Hamas Charter
• Hamas leaders explain their goal
• Who are Hamas (Al-Jazeera)
• Website for the study of the ideas of Hamas, not the official website. The Pew Research Center is a Think tank based in Washington D (Arabic)
• "A “New Hamas” through Its New Documents" by Khaled Hroub, Journal of Palestine Studies, issue 140, Summer 2006
• Hamas in its own words
• "The Palestinian Information Center" Mideast news from the Hamas point of view. The Journal of Palestine Studies is an Academic journal established in 1971 Summer is one of the four Temperate Seasons Summer marks the warmest time of year with the longest days Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. In English.
• Hamas at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel
• The Hamas organization is responsible for more than 425 terror attacks in Israel from November 6, 2000 to April 17, 2004 at IDF official website. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit
• Suicide Bomber's Father: Let Hamas and Jihad Leaders Send Their Own Sons a letter to the editor of the London Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat. October 8, 2002
• Hamas Fact Sheet and Hamas in Their Own Words at ADL
• Frequently Asked Questions About Hamas at ABC News
• Springtime for Hamas by Diane West at The Jewish World Review, April 22, 2005
• Hamas vs. America by Daniel Pipes. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Anti-Defamation League ( ADL) is an Interest group founded in 1913 by B'nai B'rith in the United States whose stated aim is "to stop This article is about the American news organization See also ABC News (disambiguation ABC News is a division of American Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Daniel Pipes (born September 9 1949 is a American historian and political commentator who particularly focuses on the Middle East and Islam. Published in The New York Sun on May 3, 2005
• Hamas terrorist infrastructures in the regions of Hebron and Ramallah exposed by The Israel Security Agency, October 12, 2005
• Hamas Without Veils. No more hiding behind the PA by Emanuele Ottolenghi in National Review, January 26, 2006
• Political earthquake strikes as Hamas wins landslide by Kevin Simpson on CWI Website, January 29, 2006
• BBC: Hamas urges EU not to end funding
• The EU's new Palestine dilemma by Khaled Diab
• Checkmate: the Hamas victory
• Russia is Ready for Dialogue With HAMAS
• Give Hamas Nothing for Free by Dennis Ross. The New York Sun was a contemporary five-day Daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 until 2008 Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. National Review ( NR) is a biweekly Magazine and Web site, founded by the late author William F Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Committee for a Workers' International (CWI is an international association of Trotskyist parties Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Dennis B Ross (born November 26 1948 in San Francisco) is an American Author and Political figure who served as the director for policy planning (The Washington Post, p. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D B07. February 5, 2006)
• Hamas Triumphant: Implications for Security, Politics, Economy, and Strategy.PDF (557 KiB) February 2006
• A Hamas Government: Isolate or Engage? U.S. Institute of Peace Briefing, March 2006
• Living Conditions Poll after a couple of months of hamas in government
• Analysis: A year after elections, Hamas riding high by Khaled Abu Toameh, Jerusalem Post, January 25, 2007
• List and review of Hamas publications in the UK
• NYT document Hamas views on Jews and incitement against Israel and Jews
• "Hamas is not the IRA" op ed in IHT about the Hamas Charter
• Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement fact file in ynet