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HAMAS
(aka Islamic Resistance Movement)
Organization and Leadership
Hamas was formed in 1987 with the objective
of replacing Israel with a Palestinian state based on Islamic principles.
The group operates mainly in the Gaza strip and the West Bank, and
boasts tens of thousands of supporters throughout the Occupied Territories.
The number of hardcore members remains unknown.
Hamas used to base much of its organization in Jordan, but in 1999
Jordan's King Abdullah II closed Hamas' Political Bureau offices in
Amman, and many Hamas leaders were expelled to Qatar. Hamas has attempted
to draw a firm distinction between its military wing and its recruitment
and charitable activities. The military wing is divided into two main
groups with several components to each. The Palestinian Holy Fighters
(Al-Majahadoun Al-Falestinioun) are responsible for armed attacks
against Israeli targets, mainly in northern areas of the Gaza strip.
An important faction of this group is the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Squads,
which is responsible for a majority of terrorist activities.
Another arm of Hamas known as the Security Section (Jehaz Aman) is
responsible for identifying and punishing Palestinians accused of
cooperating or collaborating with Israel. This group is also in charge
of upholding Islamic law among the Palestinian community.
Along with its military wing, Hamas also organizes extensive charitable
and educational programs, and has built schools and hospitals throughout
the Gaza strip and West Bank. These efforts have resulted in widespread
support from the Palestinian population and have elevated HAMAS to
a position where it poses a serious challenge to the authority of
the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The political and spiritual leader of Hamas is the charismatic quadriplegic
Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, who spent several years in Israeli jails before
a prisoner exchange set him free in 1997. Yassin is considered somewhat
moderate in comparison to others in the Hamas leadership. A more militant
leader, Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, was assassinated by Israel on November
23, 2001, leading to the suicide bombings of December 3 that have
escalated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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What's Next:
Ideology
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