HAMAS History
HAMAS (in Arabic, an acronym for "Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia" -- Islamic Resistance Movement -- and a word meaning courage and bravery) is a radical Islamic fundamentalist organization which became active in the early stages of the intifada, operating primarily in the Gaza District but also in Judea and Samaria. HAMAS is the strongest opposition group to the peace process, to the PLO, and remains a powerful player in Middle East politics.
HAMAS was formed in late 1987 as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas is a Sunni Islamic organization which was established at the beginning of the first Intifada, (December 1987) by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Hamas is dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian State that encompasses Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The Hamas believes in the establishment of an Islamic theocracy over all the territory of the land of Israel, "from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River". Paradoxically, the formation of Hamas was encouraged by the Israeli government, which saw the new group as a religious competitor to the generally secular Palestinian nationalist groups.
The Hamas was established from cells of the Muslim Brotherhood organization that had already been active in the territories. The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in 1928 to replace secular rulers with an Islamic society. The Muslim Brotherhood is recognized as a social movement, and constitutes a convenient arena for the activities of individuals and groups deriving extreme religious legitimacy from the organization. The Muslim Brotherhood does not only provide ideological and logistical support for the Hamas; The Egyptian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood was a significant influence behind the formation of the Hamas organization.
HAMAS is loosely structured, with some elements working openly through mosques and social service institutions to recruit members, raise money, organize activities, and distribute propaganda. Militant elements of HAMAS, operating clandestinely, have advocated and used violence to advance their goals. HAMAS's strength is concentrated in the Gaza Strip and in a few areas of the West Bank. The situation most especially in Gaza has allowed HAMAS to become deeply rooted, most especially among refugees. It also has engaged in peaceful political activity, such as running candidates in West Bank Chamber of Commerce elections.
The Gaza Strip is the main stronghold of Hamas. HAMAS includes an unknown number of hardcore members and tens of thousands of supporters and sympathizers -- primarily in the occupied territories. In August 1999, Jordanian authorities closed the group's Political Bureau offices in Amman, arrested its leaders, and prohibited the group from operating on Jordanian territory. Hamas enjoys the solid grassroots support of about one-third of the Palestinian population. They are the supporters of religious orientation. Hamas has a lot of credibility among ordinary Palestinians. Hamas also gets support because of its social, medical and education programs in Palestinian areas.
For years, Hamas was a fringe organization, popular mainly for its social and educational work, especially in poor neighborhoods. But that has changed. A Palestinian public-opinion poll indicates Hamas had the support of 30-percent of the Palestinian population in Gaza and the West Bank. It was increasingly seen as a rival to Yasser Arafat's mainstream Fatah movement.
The Hamas has conducted social activity in mosques that mainly serve the Palestinian immigrant population. These Palestinians are potential recruits for the organization (particularly Palestinian students) who are expected to return later on to the territories. As the terrorist attack at Mike's Place in Tel Aviv shows, the mosques can be used to recruit Muslim operatives (not just Palestinians) to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel.
The Hamas is assisted by other terrorist organizations overseas (with an emphasis on Al Qaida and the Hizbullah), with the aim of advancing strategic objectives. The ties between these parties are based upon personal contacts and their identification with Islam, and, particularly, the principle of Jihad. The links between these groups are also expressed through mutual operational assistance, thereby advancing the strategic goals of the Hamas organization.
In 2004 Peter Hansen, Commissioner General of UNRWA, admitted, "I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll and I don’t see that as a crime." UNRWA has long been accused of looking the other way or accepting no responsibility when charges arise that Palestinian terrorists operate in its refugee camps. Not only have many of the suicide bombers of Hamas and other Palestinian terror organizations come from UNRWA refugee camps, but students in UNRWA schools have received a steady diet of hatred and anti-Semitism in their textbooks.
In February of 2005, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas convinced Hamas to agree to an informal temporary cease-fire with Israel. The cease-fire brought a great reduction in the amount of violence in the region. Hamas honored the cease-fire, but declared that they would not renew the truce when it expired at the end of 2005. Hamas said that Israel carried out targeted assassinations, arrests and airstrikes in violation of the truce.
