HAMAS Leadership
Israel has not targeted the various leaders of Hamas since an informal cease fire was declared in February of 2005. Before that cease fire, Israel had declared a campaign to wipe out the Islamic militant group's leadership ahead of the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in August of 2005. Israel was fairly successful in 2003-2004, in which they killed several Hamas leaders or senior officials. Following the killing of Abdel Aziz Rantisi on 17 April 2004, Hamas decided to try to avoid creating targets for Israel. Since that decison, Hamas has not had a clear single leader.
Sheik Ahmed Yassin
The founder and leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, Ahmed Yassin, was killed on 22 March 2004 in the northern Gaza Strip. The Hamas leader had narrowly escaped an Israeli military attempt to kill him in September 2003. In January 2004 Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said Israel would hunt down and kill Sheik Ahmed Yassin, in retaliation for a deadly attack that killed four Israeli border guards. Yassin, who established Hamas in 1987 and remained its most central authority, seemed to defy Israeli threats on 21 March 2004 in what may have been his last television interview, broadcast by Arab television station Al-Arabiyah. "The Israeli threat to eliminate Hamas leaders and leaders from other factions is not a new threat but an old one used repeatedly. Every time there is a martyrdom operation [suicide attack] or an operation which hurts the enemy, Israel begins to threaten [that it will respond]," Yassin said. The next day he was dead, targeted in an Israeli military operation that drew widespread international condemnation. Sheikh Yassin was killed by missiles fired by Israeli helicopters as he left a mosque in Gaza City. Israel confirmed it carried out the deadly operation, saying Sheikh Yassin was personally responsible for ordering suicide attacks against Israelis.
Yassin was the leader and mentor of Hamas in the territories, and the authorizing and initiating authority for all Hamas terrorist attacks emanating from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Although he was not a religious authority, many named him "Sheikh Yassin," for his status as leader of Hamas.
The perception that Yassin was the "political" leader and left the management of terrorist activities to others is incorrect. In fact, there is no differentiation between the "political" and "military" wings of Hamas. Yassin, himself, often authorized and encouraged attacks and strongly preached against Israel.
Yassin was arrested twice by Israel: While under arrest by the ISA in 1984, Yassin stated during questioning that he had founded an organization of religious activists with the goal of fighting non-religious factions in the territories, and carrying out "jihad" operations against Israel. This organization used funds from Islamic activists in Jordan in order to acquire large quantities of weapons. Yassin was imprisoned and subsequently released within the framework of a prisoner release agreement in May 1985.
In 1989, Yassin ordered Hamas to kidnap Israeli soldiers inside Israel, to murder them and bury their bodies in a manner which would allow Hamas to negotiate the exchange of bodies for Hamas prisoners, who would be released from jails in Israel.
Yassin was arrested after the abduction and murder of IDF soldier Ilan Sa'adon, and the discovery of the body of IDF soldier Avi Sasportas, who was also abducted and murdered. Yassin was tried in Israel and received two life sentences for his involvement in these attacks.
In 1989, Saleh Shade, appointed by Yassin, admitted during questioning by the ISA to the establishment of a terrorist element within Hamas. Yassin was also arrested and confirmed in interrogation, that he himself ordered the establishment of a military element within the organization, and approved the drafting of terrorists as well as the carrying out of terrorist attacks.
After his release from prison in October 1997, Yassin again became involved in Hamas terrorist operations. His involvement included directing terrorist attacks in the field and providing financial assistance to terrorists.
Yassin tried many times to present himself simply as a political leader not involved terrorist activities. Many of Yassin's interviews in the media serve as evidence that the exact opposite is true, and that he supported and directed terror.
After the suicide bombing on January 14, 2004, at the Erez crossing in which Reem Raiyshi detonated herself, interviews of Yassin were aired on many media, and displayed his satisfaction with the execution of the attack. Yassin especially justified the use of a woman in order to carry out the attack and said, "Hamas views women as the reserve force... when the military wing of the Hamas saw it necessary to use a woman to carry out an attack, it did so."
Yassin was the senior authority in the decision making process for carrying out terrorist attacks, and was the main address in all matters concerning the determining the policy for terrorism. He was viewed as a highly admired and charismatic persona serving as a main factor in attacks against Israel.
Abdel Aziz Rantisi
Abdel Aziz Rantisi was chosen to head the Hamas organization, following the 22 March 2004 assassination of Sheik Ahmed Yassin. Rantisi took part in establishing the terrorist policy of the organization and also served as its main spokesperson. He played a key and active role in inciting terror attacks.
Rantisi was one of the six founders of the Hamas in September 1987, along with Ahmed Yassin. He first served as head of the Hamas in Khan Yunis and was among the senior leadership of the Hamas during the first Palestinian 'Intifada'. He was jailed between 1988-1990 and following his release returned to activity in the Hamas. He was briefly jailed in 1991.
Rantisi, originally from Khan Yunis, was by profession a doctor and a lecturer at the Islamic University.
In December 1992, he was removed to Lebanon where he served as a spokesperson for the group of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists, until their return in 1993. In December 1993, he was arrested again after being named by other Hamas members as a contact for the terrorist network and for coordinating the appointment of operatives for various positions in the organization. For these activities, he was jailed until April 1997.
Following his release from Israeli jail, he began to reorganize the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip. He expressed extremist positions and enjoyed the support of the extremist members of the terrorist apparatus and of the Hamas leadership abroad, based in Syria. He tried to replace the old leadership of Hamas, which was active between 1995-1997 in Gaza because he felt they were too moderate. In elections held may 1997, a new leadership of 30 activists was elected. Rantisi, with the encouragement of the Hamas abroad, represented this group and was appointed spokesperson for the Hamas in Gaza.
Between 1997-2000 Rantisi was jailed periodically by the Palestinian Authority, but was able to continue to act within the Hamas and worked to strengthen his position within the Hamas organization and specifically within the leadership.
With the start of the violence in September 2000, he moved to the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza. Following that move, Rantisi solidified his position within the Hamas leadership. His role included:
- Virulent incitement, repeatedly calling for suicide attack inside Israel, continued attacks in Gaza, kidnapping of Israeli soldiers and firing of mortar shells into Israel.
- Rantisi maintained contact with senior terror leaders within the Hamas and encouraged them to continue carrying out attacks. He was responsible for establishing and overseeing secret terrorist cells.
- He maintained contact with the Hamas leadership abroad and with senior members of the Palestinian Authority, advocating an extremist position which opposed any cease fire with Israel or any political arrangement between the PA and Israel. He called for continued terror attacks against Israel, all the while trying to undermine any diplomatic efforts of the PA.
Rantisi publicly called, at every possible opportunity, to continue armed attacks and specifically to increase the suicide attacks and attempt to kidnap Israeli soldiers. These public calls were taken as operational directive of the Hamas leadership.
The following are statements by Rantisi (source- Hamas internet site, 26 January 2004):
- "There will be no concession of one inch of Palestine, because it is Islamic Land."
- There will be no recognition of what is called the 'State of Israel.'"
- Any solution which includes recognizing what is called the 'State of Israel' or concession on one inch of historic Palestine is unacceptable and void, and doesn't obligate us at all."
- "[Violent] Resistance is the only option for the restoration of our stolen rights."
In an interview on April 9, 2004:
"We say to the Muslim people of Iraq, we are with you in your struggle against American terror and destruction, we are with you in your war in defense of Islam. We say to the fighter and commander Mokutada A-Sadr: Hamas stands by your side and blesses your Jihad (holy war) and wishes you with the help of God, that you will win and be victorious."
On 10 June 2003 Rantisi was injured when Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles at his jeep on a busy thoroughfare in Gaza City. The first missile missed Rantisi's vehicle, and that he managed to run from the jeep just seconds before a direct hit by a second missile. President Bush sharply criticized that operation, saying such actions would not enhance the security of the Jewish state and would make it more difficult for the Palestinian leadership to persuade militant groups to halt their terror attacks.
Abdel Aziz Rantisi was killed in an operation by Israeli security forces on 17 April 2004. The IDF fired missiles at a car carrying Rantisi. Rantisi was pulled out alive, but he later died on the operating table. After Rantisi was killed, Hamas said that their new leader will remain nameless and hidden from view.
Abdullah Qawasmeh
Hamas has vowed revenge for the killing of the senior Hamas official, Abdullah Qawasmeh, in a raid that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has hailed as a "successful operation." Israeli officials say Mr. Qawasmeh was the mastermind behind a series of suicide attacks carried out by Hamas, including a bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed 17 people. A special anti-terrorist squad of Israel's Border Police entered Hebron on 21 June 2003 in what they said was a bid to arrest Mr. Qawasmeh but ended up killing him when, they said, he resisted arrest. They said he was armed and tried to escape.
Yasser Taha
On 12 June 2003 Israeli helicopter gunships fired several missiles at a car carrying Hamas activists. The car was destroyed, and one of the dead was identfied as Yasser Taha, a leader of Hamas' military wing. The medical sources say a three-year-old girl was also among those killed. About 25 people were wounded in the attack.
Khaled Mashal
Khaled Mashal, a physics teacher, who directs Hamas's political bureau from Damascus, will be what he called the group's "first head," its world leader. After the killing of Abdel Aziz Rantisi in 2004, he is considered to be the highest-ranking member of Hamas.
In October 1997 men carrying forged Canadian passports and believed to be agents of Mossad, the Israeli secret service, tried and failed to poison Khaled Mashal in Amman, Jordan. Two of the agents were chased and captured, while the HAMAS official was taken to a hospital and, although seriously ill, recovered. The event caused an uproar in Israel, the Middle East generally, and beyond. Canada recalled its ambassador from Israel over the used of forged Canadian passports. Jordan's government demanded the antidote for the poison used in the assassination attempt, and Jordan's King Hussein then brokered a deal that saw the ailing Muslim religious leader who founded HAMAS, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, released from an Israeli prison and eventually returned to Gaza. Several other HAMAS activists were also released from Israeli jails, presumably in return for the two Israeli agents being held in Jordanian police custody. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reported to have personally ordered the assassination effort.
After the killing of al-Rantisi in April 2004, Israel's minister for parliamentary relations, Gideon Ezra, also warned that Khaled Mashal will meet a fate identical to that of al-Rantisi.
Following the election victory of Hamas, in the January 2006 Palestinain parlimentary elections, Mashal has declared that Hamas will not disarm. Many Western countries have asked Hamas to disarm and have threatened to cut off aid to Palestine if they do not lay down their weapons. Mashal has even suggested that Hamas could create a Palestinian army to defend Palestine against aggression. But he also announced that Hamas will be working with Fatah to form a partnership in order to govern the Palestinians.
Mahmoud Zahar
Mahmoud Zahar, one of the founders of Hamas, is another top ranking official in the organization. He was the first public spokesperson for Hamas when it was founded. Zahar might have been considered a rival of Rantisi and Mashal. In September 2003, Israel bombed the home of Mahmoud Zahar in Gaza City. Zahar survived the attack, but several others, including his eldest son, were reported killed when Israeli warplanes targeted his house.
Following the killing of Abdel Aziz Rantisi in 2004, the Hamas's Damascus-based leader, Khaled Mashaal, instructed the group to keep the name of its new Gaza leader secret. But it soon came out that Mahmoud Zahar, who had been Rantisi's second in command, was part of a "collective leadership" of Hamas's Gaza Strip stronghold. The other members of this leadership include Ismail Haniyeh. Zahar, though, is considered the most senior member of the leadership.
Following the overwhemling Hamas victory in the Palestinian elections of 26 January 2006, Zahar announced that Hamas would extend its year old truce with Israel, if Israel agrees to reciprocate.
