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Sent: Wed, Nov 23, 2011 1:41 pm
Subject: Palestinian Terror Group Hamas - 10 Facts You Need to Know
Ten Facts about the Palestinian Terror Group Hamas
1. Hamas Leadership
-- Sent: Wed, Nov 23, 2011 1:41 pm
Subject: Palestinian Terror Group Hamas - 10 Facts You Need to Know
Ten Facts about the Palestinian Terror Group Hamas
(See website for photos and graphics)
November 23, 2011
1. Hamas Leadership
Hamas is a radical Islamic terror group operating out of the Gaza Strip. Hamas, which means "enthusiasm" or "bravery" in Arabic, is the acronym for its full title, the Islamic Resistance Movement. Its military wing is called Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, named after the group's infamous weapon, the qassam rocket. Hamas also has a paramilitary police force, known as the Executive Force. The group has some 20,000 fighters among its ranks. Hamas' political leader Khaled Mashaal runs Hamas from Damascus, Syria while Ahmed Jabari, Hamas' military leader, lives in Gaza. Hamas' Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh also sits in Gaza. Following the recent revolts sweeping across Syria, Hamas' leadership is now worried it may have to relocate to Egypt or Qatar.
2. Hamas Founders
Founded in 1987, Hamas was created by former Muslim Brotherhood members, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Mohammad Zahar. Abdullah Azzam, an Arab Islamist from the West Bank city of Jenin, was another pivotal figure in the founding of Hamas. He studied with Muslim Brotherhood members at Cairo's al-Azhar University and became al-Qaeda arch terrorist Osama bin Laden's mentor in Pakistan. In fact, writes Steve Coll in Ghost Wars, bin Laden and his followers later merged Azzam's Islamic social organization, Office of Services, into al-Qaeda. Already in 2008, Abbas confirmed that Hamas helped al-Qaeda gain a presence in Gaza
3. Hamas Terror Tactics
Hamas carries out civilian attacks and suicide bombings and advocate firing rockets at Israeli civilians. Hamas has also used human shields when fighting against Israel. The group's hardline ethos advocates fighting Jews in order to create a state of Palestinian in the place of what is currently Israel. Hamas' charter states: "The hour of judgment shall not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them." Terrorists in Gaza who are under Hamas' control have fired over 600 rockets at Israeli civilians so far in 2011. Today, more than one million Israelis live within the range of rocket-fire from Gaza.
4. Hamas, an Iranian Proxy
Like the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, Gaza-based Hamas is funded, armed and trained by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran provides hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to Hamas and other proxy groups.In fact, Hamas militants are trained in Iran and weapons provided by Iran are routinely smuggled into Gaza. In addition to qassam rockets and mortar shells, Hamas allegedly has obtained long-range rockets including long-range grad-model katyusha rockets engineered in Asia. Iran then helps Hamas obtain the weapons by transferring them to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and then into Gaza from there. Hamas also possess anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft missiles. Israel aimed to destroy Hamas' sophisticated weapons during Operation Cast Lead at the end of 2008. However, there are reports that Hamas has rearmed itself since that time.|
5. Hamas' Bloody Gaza Takeover
Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007, when it violently ousted Fatah, the political party of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, from power. During the bloody coup in 2007, Hamas waged a violent war against Fatah; more than 150 Palestinians were killed and at least 700 were wounded. Hamas threw Fatah members off rooftops and tortured them as a means to gain power in the strip. Fatah members and women and children were systematically executed by Hamas.
6. Hamas: Bin Laden a Holy Warrior
United States House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) states: "Hamas is a Foreign Terrorist Organization that calls bin Laden a 'holy warrior,' remains determined to destroy Israel, and is responsible for the deaths of Israelis and Americans." Both the European Union and the U.S. deem Hamas a terror organization. The indoctrination of Palestinian youth into a culture of hate and the idolization of terrorists as martyrs are two points of contention that the U.S. Congress has with Hamas' leadership.
7. A Hamas-Fatah Government
Referring to the impending Hamas-Fatah move towards a new Palestinian government, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen added in a statement: "Now, Hamas will be a part of the PA, without having to recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, or accept previous agreements." World leaders have called the move towards Hamas-Fatah unity a blow to peace because of Hamas' hardline and violent rhetoric. However, Hamas and Fatah have tentatively agreed to choose a new prime minister from Hamas-controlled Gaza to replace the current, moderate Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank.
8. Palestinian Violence
In April 2011, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "The United States supports Palestinian reconciliation on terms which promote the cause of peace…Hamas, however, is a terrorist organization which targets civilians. To play a constructive role in achieving peace, any Palestinian government must... renounce violence, abide by past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist." The Quartet on the Middle East, comprised of the EU, the U.S., the United Nations and Russia, has stated that any future peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians requires the PA and its political members to renounce violence.
9. Hamas and al-Qaeda
Although Hamas denies its ties to al-Qaeda, operational links – as well as ideological similarities - between the two terror groups have been confirmed. Jonathan Schanzer, a Middle East expert at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, confirms that the two groups trained together in the 1990s in Sudan. He writes: In the mid-1990s "Hamas members received paramilitary training and attended Islamist conferences in Sudan, alongside bin Laden and his supporters." In 2002, The Washington Post quoted official U.S. government sources as confirming a loose alliance between al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
10. Hamas' Capture of Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit, an Israeli-French national, was kidnapped by Iran-backed Hamas on June 25, 2006 during a cross-border raid from Gaza into Israel. Shalit was a 19-year old soldier at the time. He was released more than five years later in October 2011. Hamas violated Shalit's most basic human rights as a captive – i.e. contact with his family and visits from humanitarian organizations. Unlike Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, Shalit was not allowed any visits from the International Red Cross. The only contact Shalit had with the outside world during his time in captivity was three letters to his family, an audio tape and a video recording to the world – for which Israel released 20 female Palestinian prisoners. The kidnapping of Israeli soldiers is a tactic often used by Hezbollah too.
Barbara
Psalm 121 ~
He is the Keeper of my soul.
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