Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Hamas shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Hamas offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Hamas at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Hamas? Wrong! If the Hamas is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Hamas then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Hamas? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Hamas and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Hamas wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Hamas then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Hamas site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Hamas, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Hamas, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox_Political_Party|name_english = Hamas|name_native = حركة المقاومة الاسلامية|colorcode = #008000|party_logo = |leader = Khaled Mashaal,Ismail Haniyah|founder = [Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, [Arab nationalism|international =|members = Unknown|website = www.palestine-info.com-->Hamas (; acronym: , or Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement,"the word "Hamas" means "strength and bravery" according to its charter on MidEast web "MidEast Web Historical Documents: The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)". Copyright 1999–2002. MidEast Web.) is a [Palestinian people Sunni Islam militant organization.

Hamas was created in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin of the Gaza wing of the Muslim Brotherhood at the beginning of the First Intifada. Best known in Israel and the West for its Suicide attack and other attacksBest known for suicide bombings/attacks: directed against civilians and Israeli military and security forces targets, Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in effect) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic republic in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.Calls for the destruction of Israel:

Hamas is listed as a terrorism organization by Canada, Keeping Canadians Safe, Public Security and Emergency Preparedness Canada, National Security, Listed entities. Accessed July 31, 2006. the European Union, "Council Decision" Council of the European Union, December 21, 2005 Israel, The Financial Sources of the Hamas Terror Organization (Israel MFA) Japan, Japan's Diplomatic Bluebook 2005 states that it has frozen the assets of "terrorist organizations, including... Hamas." and the United States, "Country reports on terrorism 2005", United States Department of State. Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. US Dept. of State Publication 11324. Released April 2006 and is banned in Jordan.Karmi, Omar. "What does the Hamas victory mean for nearby Jordan?", The Daily Star, February 18, 2006 Australia Listing of Terrorist Organisations, Australian Government Attorney-General's Department, 27 January 2006. Accessed July 31, 2006. and the United Kingdom United Kingdom Home Security Office. Terrorism Act 2000. Proscribed terrorist groups list the militant wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist organization.

Since the death of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, Hamas's political wing has entered and won many local elections in Gaza, Qalqilya, and Nablus. In January 2006, Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian Palestinian legislative election, 2006, taking 76 of the 132 seats in the chamber, while the ruling Fatah party took 43. The Hamas charter states: "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad," "The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)", MidEast Web, August 18, 1988; "The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement", The Avalon Project at Yale Law School, retrieved April 22, 2006. 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"Kristen Ess. "Why Hamas Won" ZNet. Palestine, January 31, 2006. movement defending Palestinians from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Hamas has further gained popularity by establishing hospitals, education systems, libraries and social services "Palestinian election raises varying opinions within U". The Minnesota Daily. January 31, 2006 throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Hamas activities Council on Foreign Relations The Palestinian territories have experienced internal conflicts for many years; since Hamas's election victory, particularly sharp infighting has occurred between Hamas and Fatah, leading to many Palestinian deaths. "The Gangs of Gaza", Newsweek, June 26, 2006."...they find themselves on the brink of civil war in a power struggle between the governing Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group. In two days of fighting between the two rival and well-armed factions, 12 Palestinians have been killed and more than 100 wounded, and there are few signs the months-long political dispute at the centre of the violence is about to die down." al-Mughrabi, Nidal and Assadi, Mohammed. Palestinian in-fighting provokes despair, frustration, Reuters, October 3, 2006.

It was elected in January 2006 as the government of the Palestinian people. "Hamas sweeps to election victory", BBC News.

After coming to power, Hamas announced it was giving up suicide attacks and "offered a 10-year truce Israel in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories: the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem." "Who are Hamas?" BBC News. January 27, 2007. Ali Abunimah, author of "One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse," states: "It had observed the unilateral truce with Israel. It had given up suicide attacks against Israeli civilians. And there was no response to that. On the contrary." "As Hamas Seizes Full Control of Gaza and US Prepares Further Isolation, What Next for Palestinians?" Democracy Now!. June 15, 2007. "Hope for a Mideast resolution could grow with Hamas leadership" Christian Science Monitor. January 31, 2006. Hamas also declared a unilateral ceasefire with Israel which, after Israeli air strikes in response to Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza, was formally renounced. "Hamas threatens to break ceasefire after Israeli air strikes" Telegraph.co.uk. October 17, 2006.

Following the Battle for Gaza (2007) in June 2007, when Hamas used force to take control of the Gaza Strip after Fatah refused to hand over control to the new government, elected Hamas officials were ousted from their positions in the Palestinian National Authority government in the West Bank and were replaced by rival Fatah members as well as independents. Carter: Stop favoring Fatah over Hamas The Jerusalem Post June 19 2007 Exposing the bitter truth of Gaza carnage The Age June 23, 2007

On June 18, 2007, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Fatah) issued a decree outlawing the Hamas militia and executive force after Battle of Gaza (2007). According to the United States Department of State, the group is funded by Iran, Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. 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. Erased In A Moment: Suicide Bombing Attacks Against Israeli Civilians V. Structures and Strategies of the Perpetrator Organizations, Human Rights Watch, October, 2002. ISBN 1-56432-280-7

Name Some disagreement exists over the meaning of the word "Hamas" itself. Hamas is an Acronym and initialism of the Arabic language phrase حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, or Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement". Ami Isseroff on MidEast web states that the acronym is also the Arabic word for "zeal". "A History of the Hamas Movement". Copyright 1999-2002. MidEast Web. Hamas's charter itself on MidEast web states: "Hamas (means) strength and bravery -(according to) Al-Mua'jam al-Wasit". "MidEast Web Historical Documents: The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)". Copyright 1999-2002. MidEast Web.

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, killed by the British in 1935. Armed Hamas cells also sometimes refer to themselves as "Students of Ayyash", "Students of the Engineer", or "Yahya Ayyash Units",Kushner, Harvey W. (2002). Encyclopedia of Terrorism, p.160 Sage Publications, ISBN 0-7619-2408-6 to commemorate Yahya Ayyash, an early Hamas bomb-maker killed in 1996.

History Sheikh Ahmed Yassin founded Hamas in 1987 as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. The acronym "Hamas" first appeared in 1987 in a leaflet that accused the Israeli Mossads of undermining the moral fiber of Palestinian youth as part of Mossad's recruitment of what Hamas termed "collaborators". The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military branch, was created a year before the Oslo Accords.

Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in effect) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic republic in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip."The Hamas charter calls for Israel to be destroyed and replaced by an Islamic state." Myre, Gred. "Israeli Official Says Hamas Has Made Abbas Irrelevant" The New York Times, February 27, 2006. "Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction" Dinnick, Wilf. "High-Stakes Political Poker: Forcing Hamas' Hand", ABC News, June 6, 2006."Hamas's charter uncompromisingly seeks Israel's destruction." "Palestinian Rivals: Fatah & Hamas", BBC News, May 25, 2006. During the 1990s and 2000s it became best known in the Western world for its Suicide attackBest known for suicide bombings/attacks:

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 Green Line (Israel) in the Six Day War, and the establishment of a Palestinian state (it remade the same offer after winning the majority in the PLC, accepting the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative ). Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin stated that the group could accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 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. Hamas violated once, in August 2005, with an attack on the same bus station, wounding seven, and in several attacks on Israeli motorists — killing six in several attacks.

While Hamas had boycotted the Palestinian presidential election, 2005, during which Mahmoud Abbas was elected to replace Yasser Arafat, it did participate in the Palestinian municipal election, 2005 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 Palestinian legislative election, 2006 marked another victory for Hamas, which gained the majority of seats in the first fair and democratic elections held in Palestine, Carter: Stop favoring Fatah over Hamas, The Jerusalem Post, June 19, 2007 defeating the ruling Fatah party. The "List of Change and Reform", as Hamas presented itself, obtained 42.9% of the vote and 74 of the 132 seats. The CEC announces the final results of the second PLC elections

Although 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," several Hamas candidates insisted that the charter remains in force. 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: elimination of Israel by Islam via a jihad against what Hamas sees as Zionist Jewish settler-colonial invaders in all of what he called Palestine.

On February 13, 2006, in an interview in Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Peace with Israel for withdrawal to ’67 borders, ynetnews March 3, 2006 the same Khaled Mashal declared that Hamas would stop armed struggle against Israel if it recognized the 1967 borders, withdrew itself from all Palestinian territories (including the West Bank and East Jerusalem) and recognized Palestinian rights that would include the "right of return". 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. It is in fact not honoring the Road Map". Hamas delegation arrives in Moscow, ynetnews March 3, 2006 The Road map projected the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 2005.

In May 2006, Hamas leaders threatened a new Intifada, as well as to decapitate anyone who tried to bring down their cabinet.Abu Toameh, Khaled. Hamas armed force readies for action, The Jerusalem Post, May 6, 2006. Further, 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. Le Monde Diplomatique, July 2007, http://mondediplo.com/2007/07/05palestine

After the formation of the Hamas cabinet on March 20, 2006, tensions have progressively risen in the Gaza strip between Fatah and Hamas militants, leading to demonstrations and violence, along with repeated attempts at a truce.Mahnaimi, Uzi. Israel foils plot to kill Palestinian president, The Sunday Times (UK), May 7, 2006.

On June 27, 2006 Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement which included the forming of a national unity government. On February 8, 2007, Hamas and Fatah signed a deal to end Palestinian factional violence 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.Saud Abu Ramadan and David Rosenberg. Palestinians Reach Accord on Forging Unity Government". Bloomberg, February 9, 2007.

The events leading to the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict began on June 9, 2006. An Israeli operation, Gaza beach blast occurred on a busy Gaza beach, killing eight Palestinian civilians.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.

On June 29, Israel captured 64 Hamas officials. Amongst them were eight Palestinian Authority cabinet ministers and up to twenty members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, as well as heads of regional councils, and the mayor of Qalqilyah and his deputy. 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.

In June, renewed fighting broke out between Hamas and Fatah. As of June 14, 2007, the current Palestinian government has been dissolved. President Mahmoud Abbas has dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government. .

There was a brief war in which Battle of Gaza (2007) and the Palestinian Authority was effectively split in two: Hamas controlling of Gaza and Fatah controlling the West Bank. It is reported that violence continued as of June 16th, 2007.

Beliefs , frequently used by Hamas supportersFounded in 1987, Hamas was the Gaza Strip branch of the Islamism Muslim Brotherhood movement founded in Egypt. Hamas is opposed to the existence of Israel, with one Hamas parliamentarian denouncing the 1993 Oslo Accords as "not a peace process" and "a process of deception and cheating and lies which enabled Israel to truncate our homeland with settlements and separation walls and roadblocks and closed military zones."Khalid Amayreh. "'Cartoons reflect Europe's Islamophobia'". Interview with Aziz Duwaik. Al Jazeera English. February 6, 2006. In 2004 Hamas offered a 10-year truce, or hudna, in exchange for several conditions including a complete withdrawal from Israeli-occupied territories (#2004 — A 10-year truce).

Hamas regards the territory of 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. It asserts that struggle (jihad) to regain control of the land from Israel is the religious duty of every Muslim (fard `ain). Hamas does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state, unlike the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which has recognized it since 1988, and calls it the "Zionist entity". 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. 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. 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".

Hamas's charter calls for the eventual creation of an Islamic Republic in place of Israel. Hamas sees this view as an Islamic religious duty and prophesy that comes directly from Hadith. In 1999, late Hamas co-founder Ahmed Yassin mentioned the year 2027 as the possible date for the "disappearance" of Israel. "Arab Statesmanship's Fatal Flaw: Backward Political Decision-Making" The Middle East Media Research Institute. June 5, 2003. 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". On February 13, 2005, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal declared that Hamas would stop Guerrilla warfare against Israel if Israel recognized the 1967 Green Line (Israel), withdrew from all Palestinian territories and accept the demand for Palestinian "Palestinian right of return" (#January 2006 — Winning the legislative election).

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". Hamas uses both political activities and violence to pursue its goal of establishing an Islamic Proposals for a Palestinian state in place of Israel and the secular Palestinian National Authority. 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.

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".

The Covenant of Hamas The 1988 wikisource:Hamas Covenant (or Charter) states that the organization's goal is to "raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine," in order to establish an Islamic Republic.

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 revolutionary roles for all members of society; including men and women, professionals, scientists and students.

The slogan of Hamas is "God is its target, Muhammad 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." 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 Qiyamah," and as such, the land cannot be negotiated away by any political leader. 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".

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.

The Covenant categorizes the Freemasons, Lions Clubs International, and the Rotary International as organizations promoting "the interest of Zionism." It accuses those organizations, and the "Zionist invasion" in general, of being "behind the Illegal drug trade and alcoholism in all its kinds." Hamas believes that Zionism was "behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests." Hamas Covenant

Antisemitism Hamas' critics argue that Hamas is "full of hatred towards the Jews." Statement by Guest Representative Prof. Robert S. Wistrich, 29 March 2004. United Nations Commission On Human Rights (15 March-23 April 2004). Question: Violation human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world (item 9) Critics also state Hamas is primarily anti-Zionism, but perceives Judaism as wholly embracing Zionism, and therefore has often failed to distinguish between the two.

The Covenant cites The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the propagandist book falsely attributed to Jews, stating it embodies a "Zionist plan" for "limitless" territorial expansion:Today it is Palestine, tomorrow it will be one country or another. The Zionist plan is limitless. After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. 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"

Other articles of the Hamas Covenant refer to fighting the Jews.According to Robert Wistrich,"Like other Islamists, the Hamas uses antisemitic language, full of hatred towards Jews, ever since its foundation in 1987. In its Sacred Covenant August 1988, there are frequent references to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which would have gladdened the hearts of Hitler and Goebbels. It is difficult to see what any of this has to do with spirituality, works of charity, dialogue or the search for peace." Statement by Guest Representative Prof. Robert S. Wistrich, 29 March 2004. United Nations Commission On Human Rights (15 March-23 April 2004). Question: Violation human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world (item 9)

In 1998, Esther Webman of the Project for the Study of Anti-Semitism at the Tel Aviv Universitywrote: "...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."

According to Meir Litvak's 2003 study, "In Hamas' literature, antisemitism became almost dominant. Earlier antisemitic motifs are developed time and again in their magazine Falastin al-Muslama. Almost every issue contains anti-Jewish articles using elements from the Islamic tradition. Judaism is presented as a religion based on lies, which from its origin called for aggression against others and their exploitation."

Co-founder of Hamas Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi reiterated beliefs of Holocaust denial in 2003, contending that the Holocaust was a Zionist — Nazi collaboration for the purpose of encouraging emigration to Israel.

Also in 2003, the director of Hamas Children’s Summer Camp in Gaza City Sohab Alissa was anti-Semitic:“The first thing we want to teach them is their cause. They know from daily experience that their enemy is the Jew — our job is to explain why. In the Koran much is said about the bad behavior of the Jew. Some teachings say God cursed the Jews”Sohab Alissa, director of Hamas Children’s Summer Camp Gaza City. (Los Angeles Times July 17, 2003). Quoting Unmasking Hamas’ Hydra of Terror. Simon Wiesenthal Center

The chief of Hamas' political bureau Khaled Meshaal also denied antisemitism in Hamas's ideology in February, 2006:"Our message to the Israelis is this: We do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. 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."{{cite news]|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-meshal1feb01,0,4722412.story-->

On 30 March 2007 Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan ended his "prayers to Allah" in a sermon broadcast on the Palestinian Authority’s TV quoting the hadith "The Hour Resurrection will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims kill them, and the rock and the tree will say: 'Oh, Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, kill him!'" Al Aqsa mosque would be "liberated" "through the rifle", since the Israeli occupation knew no other language. He asked "Jihad-fighting worshippers" in "Palestine and everywhere" and Allah to take away the oppressor Jews and Americans and their supporters!" Wnd Trouble In The Holy Land, Hamas tells Arabs: Genocide of Jews still on, WorldNetDaily, April 13, 2007

In April 2007, Palestinian Media Watch released a video in which "Dr. Ahmad Bahar, acting speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council," refers to Israel's Jewish citizens as a "cancerous lump" and prays to Allah to "count them and kill them to the last one, and don't leave even one."Bahar, Ahmad quoted from Palestinian Media Watch. 4 May 2007. http://www.pmw.org.il/asx/PMW_AhmadBahr200407.asx

In an article published on April 23, 2007 in the Hamas paper Al-Risalah, its author Kan'an Ubayd stated: "... the extermination of Jews is good for the inhabitants of the worlds on a land, to which Allah gave his blessing for the sake of the inhabitants of the worlds.” Hamas: "The extermination of the Jews is good for the inhabitants of the worlds.". Palestinian Media Watch bulletin by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook. May 3, 2007

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. Since its formation in 1987, Hamas has conducted numerous social, political, and military actions. Its popularity stems in part from its social welfare and social services to Palestinians in the occupied territories, including school and hospital construction. 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". These programs are viewed variously as part of a sincere social development agenda, an integrated para-state policy, as propaganda and recruitment exercises, or any combination thereof.In fact, by providing these services they succeeded in acquiring popularity among the Palestine people and gaining their political allegiance. Their funds come from OPEC representatives in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, as well as charitable donations from local and international community.

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.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.Peter Hilsenrath

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 and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The charitable trust Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development was accused in December 2001 of funding Hamas. Hamas is also well regarded by Palestinians for its efficiency and perceived lack of corruption compared to Fatah.

Funding The majority of Hamas funding comes from Saudi Arabia. Combating Terrorist Financing, "Jerusalem Centre For Public affairs", August 14, 2003 A Hamas Headquarters in Saudi Arabia?, The Washington Institute, September 28, 2005 According to the United States Department of State, Hamas is funded by Iran (led by a Shi'a Islam regime), Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. The party is known to support families of suicide bombers after their deaths. Some believe the financial support includes a monthly allowance. Various sources, among them United Press International,"Hamas history tied to Israel", United Press International, June 18, 2002 Le Canard enchaîné, Bill Baar, Gérard Chaliand Gérard Chaliand: « En Irak, l'insurrection armée montre sa terrible efficacité face à la meilleure armée du monde », April 2006 interview with Gérard Chaliand, renowned specialist of guerrillas movements and international politics and L'Humanité/; French original version: have highlighted that Hamas' early growth — before its official founding and the creation of the military branch — had been supported by the Mossad as a "counterbalance to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)". Furthermore, the French investigative newspaper Le Canard enchaîné stated that Shabak 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". Les très secrètes 'relations' Israël-Hamas (The very secret Israel-Hamas 'relations'), Le Canard Enchaîné, February 1, 2006 (issue n°4449)

Children's web site Al Fateh is Hamas' web site for children . According to The Museum of Harmony and Golden Section, "Al-Fateh" means "first". "Libya: the land of infinite variety and contrast". Museum of Harmony and Golden Section. According to Our Jerusalem, it means "conqueror". "On CAMERA Column: Ignoring Hamas Hate-Indoctrination". Our Jerusalem. February 9th, 2006. The site says it is for "the young builders of the future."

Several Israeli reviews and news coverages of the site describe it as hate mongering and accuse it of teaching violence and terrorism to children , {{Infobox_Political_Party|name_english = Hamas|name_native = حركة المقاومة الاسلامية|colorcode = #008000|party_logo = |leader = Khaled Mashaal,Ismail Haniyah|founder = [Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, [Arab nationalism|international =|members = Unknown|website = www.palestine-info.com-->Hamas (; acronym: , or Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement,"the word "Hamas" means "strength and bravery" according to its charter on MidEast web "MidEast Web Historical Documents: The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)". Copyright 1999–2002. MidEast Web.) is a [Palestinian people Sunni Islam militant organization.

Hamas was created in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin of the Gaza wing of the Muslim Brotherhood at the beginning of the First Intifada. Best known in Israel and the West for its Suicide attack and other attacksBest known for suicide bombings/attacks: directed against civilians and Israeli military and security forces targets, Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in effect) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic republic in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.Calls for the destruction of Israel:

Hamas is listed as a terrorism organization by Canada, Keeping Canadians Safe, Public Security and Emergency Preparedness Canada, National Security, Listed entities. Accessed July 31, 2006. the European Union, "Council Decision" Council of the European Union, December 21, 2005 Israel, The Financial Sources of the Hamas Terror Organization (Israel MFA) Japan, Japan's Diplomatic Bluebook 2005 states that it has frozen the assets of "terrorist organizations, including... Hamas." and the United States, "Country reports on terrorism 2005", United States Department of State. Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. US Dept. of State Publication 11324. Released April 2006 and is banned in Jordan.Karmi, Omar. "What does the Hamas victory mean for nearby Jordan?", The Daily Star, February 18, 2006 Australia Listing of Terrorist Organisations, Australian Government Attorney-General's Department, 27 January 2006. Accessed July 31, 2006. and the United Kingdom United Kingdom Home Security Office. Terrorism Act 2000. Proscribed terrorist groups list the militant wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist organization.

Since the death of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, Hamas's political wing has entered and won many local elections in Gaza, Qalqilya, and Nablus. In January 2006, Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian Palestinian legislative election, 2006, taking 76 of the 132 seats in the chamber, while the ruling Fatah party took 43. The Hamas charter states: "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad," "The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)", MidEast Web, August 18, 1988; "The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement", The Avalon Project at Yale Law School, retrieved April 22, 2006. 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"Kristen Ess. "Why Hamas Won" ZNet. Palestine, January 31, 2006. movement defending Palestinians from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Hamas has further gained popularity by establishing hospitals, education systems, libraries and social services "Palestinian election raises varying opinions within U". The Minnesota Daily. January 31, 2006 throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Hamas activities Council on Foreign Relations The Palestinian territories have experienced internal conflicts for many years; since Hamas's election victory, particularly sharp infighting has occurred between Hamas and Fatah, leading to many Palestinian deaths. "The Gangs of Gaza", Newsweek, June 26, 2006."...they find themselves on the brink of civil war in a power struggle between the governing Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group. In two days of fighting between the two rival and well-armed factions, 12 Palestinians have been killed and more than 100 wounded, and there are few signs the months-long political dispute at the centre of the violence is about to die down." al-Mughrabi, Nidal and Assadi, Mohammed. Palestinian in-fighting provokes despair, frustration, Reuters, October 3, 2006.

It was elected in January 2006 as the government of the Palestinian people. "Hamas sweeps to election victory", BBC News.

After coming to power, Hamas announced it was giving up suicide attacks and "offered a 10-year truce Israel in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories: the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem." "Who are Hamas?" BBC News. January 27, 2007. Ali Abunimah, author of "One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse," states: "It had observed the unilateral truce with Israel. It had given up suicide attacks against Israeli civilians. And there was no response to that. On the contrary." "As Hamas Seizes Full Control of Gaza and US Prepares Further Isolation, What Next for Palestinians?" Democracy Now!. June 15, 2007. "Hope for a Mideast resolution could grow with Hamas leadership" Christian Science Monitor. January 31, 2006. Hamas also declared a unilateral ceasefire with Israel which, after Israeli air strikes in response to Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza, was formally renounced. "Hamas threatens to break ceasefire after Israeli air strikes" Telegraph.co.uk. October 17, 2006.

Following the Battle for Gaza (2007) in June 2007, when Hamas used force to take control of the Gaza Strip after Fatah refused to hand over control to the new government, elected Hamas officials were ousted from their positions in the Palestinian National Authority government in the West Bank and were replaced by rival Fatah members as well as independents. Carter: Stop favoring Fatah over Hamas The Jerusalem Post June 19 2007 Exposing the bitter truth of Gaza carnage The Age June 23, 2007

On June 18, 2007, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Fatah) issued a decree outlawing the Hamas militia and executive force after Battle of Gaza (2007). According to the United States Department of State, the group is funded by Iran, Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. 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. Erased In A Moment: Suicide Bombing Attacks Against Israeli Civilians V. Structures and Strategies of the Perpetrator Organizations, Human Rights Watch, October, 2002. ISBN 1-56432-280-7

Name Some disagreement exists over the meaning of the word "Hamas" itself. Hamas is an Acronym and initialism of the Arabic language phrase حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, or Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement". Ami Isseroff on MidEast web states that the acronym is also the Arabic word for "zeal". "A History of the Hamas Movement". Copyright 1999-2002. MidEast Web. Hamas's charter itself on MidEast web states: "Hamas (means) strength and bravery -(according to) Al-Mua'jam al-Wasit". "MidEast Web Historical Documents: The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)". Copyright 1999-2002. MidEast Web.

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, killed by the British in 1935. Armed Hamas cells also sometimes refer to themselves as "Students of Ayyash", "Students of the Engineer", or "Yahya Ayyash Units",Kushner, Harvey W. (2002). Encyclopedia of Terrorism, p.160 Sage Publications, ISBN 0-7619-2408-6 to commemorate Yahya Ayyash, an early Hamas bomb-maker killed in 1996.

History Sheikh Ahmed Yassin founded Hamas in 1987 as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. The acronym "Hamas" first appeared in 1987 in a leaflet that accused the Israeli Mossads of undermining the moral fiber of Palestinian youth as part of Mossad's recruitment of what Hamas termed "collaborators". The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military branch, was created a year before the Oslo Accords.

Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in effect) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic republic in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip."The Hamas charter calls for Israel to be destroyed and replaced by an Islamic state." Myre, Gred. "Israeli Official Says Hamas Has Made Abbas Irrelevant" The New York Times, February 27, 2006. "Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction" Dinnick, Wilf. "High-Stakes Political Poker: Forcing Hamas' Hand", ABC News, June 6, 2006."Hamas's charter uncompromisingly seeks Israel's destruction." "Palestinian Rivals: Fatah & Hamas", BBC News, May 25, 2006. During the 1990s and 2000s it became best known in the Western world for its Suicide attackBest known for suicide bombings/attacks:

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 Green Line (Israel) in the Six Day War, and the establishment of a Palestinian state (it remade the same offer after winning the majority in the PLC, accepting the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative ). Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin stated that the group could accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 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. Hamas violated once, in August 2005, with an attack on the same bus station, wounding seven, and in several attacks on Israeli motorists — killing six in several attacks.

While Hamas had boycotted the Palestinian presidential election, 2005, during which Mahmoud Abbas was elected to replace Yasser Arafat, it did participate in the Palestinian municipal election, 2005 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 Palestinian legislative election, 2006 marked another victory for Hamas, which gained the majority of seats in the first fair and democratic elections held in Palestine, Carter: Stop favoring Fatah over Hamas, The Jerusalem Post, June 19, 2007 defeating the ruling Fatah party. The "List of Change and Reform", as Hamas presented itself, obtained 42.9% of the vote and 74 of the 132 seats. The CEC announces the final results of the second PLC elections

Although 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," several Hamas candidates insisted that the charter remains in force. 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: elimination of Israel by Islam via a jihad against what Hamas sees as Zionist Jewish settler-colonial invaders in all of what he called Palestine.

On February 13, 2006, in an interview in Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Peace with Israel for withdrawal to ’67 borders, ynetnews March 3, 2006 the same Khaled Mashal declared that Hamas would stop armed struggle against Israel if it recognized the 1967 borders, withdrew itself from all Palestinian territories (including the West Bank and East Jerusalem) and recognized Palestinian rights that would include the "right of return". 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. It is in fact not honoring the Road Map". Hamas delegation arrives in Moscow, ynetnews March 3, 2006 The Road map projected the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in 2005.

In May 2006, Hamas leaders threatened a new Intifada, as well as to decapitate anyone who tried to bring down their cabinet.Abu Toameh, Khaled. Hamas armed force readies for action, The Jerusalem Post, May 6, 2006. Further, 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. Le Monde Diplomatique, July 2007, http://mondediplo.com/2007/07/05palestine

After the formation of the Hamas cabinet on March 20, 2006, tensions have progressively risen in the Gaza strip between Fatah and Hamas militants, leading to demonstrations and violence, along with repeated attempts at a truce.Mahnaimi, Uzi. Israel foils plot to kill Palestinian president, The Sunday Times (UK), May 7, 2006.

On June 27, 2006 Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement which included the forming of a national unity government. On February 8, 2007, Hamas and Fatah signed a deal to end Palestinian factional violence 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.Saud Abu Ramadan and David Rosenberg. Palestinians Reach Accord on Forging Unity Government". Bloomberg, February 9, 2007.

The events leading to the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict began on June 9, 2006. An Israeli operation, Gaza beach blast occurred on a busy Gaza beach, killing eight Palestinian civilians.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.

On June 29, Israel captured 64 Hamas officials. Amongst them were eight Palestinian Authority cabinet ministers and up to twenty members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, as well as heads of regional councils, and the mayor of Qalqilyah and his deputy. 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.

In June, renewed fighting broke out between Hamas and Fatah. As of June 14, 2007, the current Palestinian government has been dissolved. President Mahmoud Abbas has dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government. .

There was a brief war in which Battle of Gaza (2007) and the Palestinian Authority was effectively split in two: Hamas controlling of Gaza and Fatah controlling the West Bank. It is reported that violence continued as of June 16th, 2007.

Beliefs , frequently used by Hamas supportersFounded in 1987, Hamas was the Gaza Strip branch of the Islamism Muslim Brotherhood movement founded in Egypt. Hamas is opposed to the existence of Israel, with one Hamas parliamentarian denouncing the 1993 Oslo Accords as "not a peace process" and "a process of deception and cheating and lies which enabled Israel to truncate our homeland with settlements and separation walls and roadblocks and closed military zones."Khalid Amayreh. "'Cartoons reflect Europe's Islamophobia'". Interview with Aziz Duwaik. Al Jazeera English. February 6, 2006. In 2004 Hamas offered a 10-year truce, or hudna, in exchange for several conditions including a complete withdrawal from Israeli-occupied territories (#2004 — A 10-year truce).

Hamas regards the territory of 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. It asserts that struggle (jihad) to regain control of the land from Israel is the religious duty of every Muslim (fard `ain). Hamas does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state, unlike the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which has recognized it since 1988, and calls it the "Zionist entity". 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. 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. 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".

Hamas's charter calls for the eventual creation of an Islamic Republic in place of Israel. Hamas sees this view as an Islamic religious duty and prophesy that comes directly from Hadith. In 1999, late Hamas co-founder Ahmed Yassin mentioned the year 2027 as the possible date for the "disappearance" of Israel. "Arab Statesmanship's Fatal Flaw: Backward Political Decision-Making" The Middle East Media Research Institute. June 5, 2003. 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". On February 13, 2005, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal declared that Hamas would stop Guerrilla warfare against Israel if Israel recognized the 1967 Green Line (Israel), withdrew from all Palestinian territories and accept the demand for Palestinian "Palestinian right of return" (#January 2006 — Winning the legislative election).

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". Hamas uses both political activities and violence to pursue its goal of establishing an Islamic Proposals for a Palestinian state in place of Israel and the secular Palestinian National Authority. 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.

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".

The Covenant of Hamas The 1988 wikisource:Hamas Covenant (or Charter) states that the organization's goal is to "raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine," in order to establish an Islamic Republic.

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 revolutionary roles for all members of society; including men and women, professionals, scientists and students.

The slogan of Hamas is "God is its target, Muhammad 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." 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 Qiyamah," and as such, the land cannot be negotiated away by any political leader. 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".

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.

The Covenant categorizes the Freemasons, Lions Clubs International, and the Rotary International as organizations promoting "the interest of Zionism." It accuses those organizations, and the "Zionist invasion" in general, of being "behind the Illegal drug trade and alcoholism in all its kinds." Hamas believes that Zionism was "behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests." Hamas Covenant

Antisemitism Hamas' critics argue that Hamas is "full of hatred towards the Jews." Statement by Guest Representative Prof. Robert S. Wistrich, 29 March 2004. United Nations Commission On Human Rights (15 March-23 April 2004). Question: Violation human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world (item 9) Critics also state Hamas is primarily anti-Zionism, but perceives Judaism as wholly embracing Zionism, and therefore has often failed to distinguish between the two.

The Covenant cites The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the propagandist book falsely attributed to Jews, stating it embodies a "Zionist plan" for "limitless" territorial expansion:Today it is Palestine, tomorrow it will be one country or another. The Zionist plan is limitless. After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. 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"

Other articles of the Hamas Covenant refer to fighting the Jews.According to Robert Wistrich,"Like other Islamists, the Hamas uses antisemitic language, full of hatred towards Jews, ever since its foundation in 1987. In its Sacred Covenant August 1988, there are frequent references to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which would have gladdened the hearts of Hitler and Goebbels. It is difficult to see what any of this has to do with spirituality, works of charity, dialogue or the search for peace." Statement by Guest Representative Prof. Robert S. Wistrich, 29 March 2004. United Nations Commission On Human Rights (15 March-23 April 2004). Question: Violation human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world (item 9)

In 1998, Esther Webman of the Project for the Study of Anti-Semitism at the Tel Aviv Universitywrote: "...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."

According to Meir Litvak's 2003 study, "In Hamas' literature, antisemitism became almost dominant. Earlier antisemitic motifs are developed time and again in their magazine Falastin al-Muslama. Almost every issue contains anti-Jewish articles using elements from the Islamic tradition. Judaism is presented as a religion based on lies, which from its origin called for aggression against others and their exploitation."

Co-founder of Hamas Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi reiterated beliefs of Holocaust denial in 2003, contending that the Holocaust was a Zionist — Nazi collaboration for the purpose of encouraging emigration to Israel.

Also in 2003, the director of Hamas Children’s Summer Camp in Gaza City Sohab Alissa was anti-Semitic:“The first thing we want to teach them is their cause. They know from daily experience that their enemy is the Jew — our job is to explain why. In the Koran much is said about the bad behavior of the Jew. Some teachings say God cursed the Jews”Sohab Alissa, director of Hamas Children’s Summer Camp Gaza City. (Los Angeles Times July 17, 2003). Quoting Unmasking Hamas’ Hydra of Terror. Simon Wiesenthal Center

The chief of Hamas' political bureau Khaled Meshaal also denied antisemitism in Hamas's ideology in February, 2006:"Our message to the Israelis is this: We do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. 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."{{cite news]|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-meshal1feb01,0,4722412.story-->

On 30 March 2007 Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan ended his "prayers to Allah" in a sermon broadcast on the Palestinian Authority’s TV quoting the hadith "The Hour Resurrection will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims kill them, and the rock and the tree will say: 'Oh, Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, kill him!'" Al Aqsa mosque would be "liberated" "through the rifle", since the Israeli occupation knew no other language. He asked "Jihad-fighting worshippers" in "Palestine and everywhere" and Allah to take away the oppressor Jews and Americans and their supporters!" Wnd Trouble In The Holy Land, Hamas tells Arabs: Genocide of Jews still on, WorldNetDaily, April 13, 2007

In April 2007, Palestinian Media Watch released a video in which "Dr. Ahmad Bahar, acting speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council," refers to Israel's Jewish citizens as a "cancerous lump" and prays to Allah to "count them and kill them to the last one, and don't leave even one."Bahar, Ahmad quoted from Palestinian Media Watch. 4 May 2007. http://www.pmw.org.il/asx/PMW_AhmadBahr200407.asx

In an article published on April 23, 2007 in the Hamas paper Al-Risalah, its author Kan'an Ubayd stated: "... the extermination of Jews is good for the inhabitants of the worlds on a land, to which Allah gave his blessing for the sake of the inhabitants of the worlds.” Hamas: "The extermination of the Jews is good for the inhabitants of the worlds.". Palestinian Media Watch bulletin by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook. May 3, 2007

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. Since its formation in 1987, Hamas has conducted numerous social, political, and military actions. Its popularity stems in part from its social welfare and social services to Palestinians in the occupied territories, including school and hospital construction. 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". These programs are viewed variously as part of a sincere social development agenda, an integrated para-state policy, as propaganda and recruitment exercises, or any combination thereof.In fact, by providing these services they succeeded in acquiring popularity among the Palestine people and gaining their political allegiance. Their funds come from OPEC representatives in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, as well as charitable donations from local and international community.

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.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.Peter Hilsenrath

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 and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The charitable trust Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development was accused in December 2001 of funding Hamas. Hamas is also well regarded by Palestinians for its efficiency and perceived lack of corruption compared to Fatah.

Funding The majority of Hamas funding comes from Saudi Arabia. Combating Terrorist Financing, "Jerusalem Centre For Public affairs", August 14, 2003 A Hamas Headquarters in Saudi Arabia?, The Washington Institute, September 28, 2005 According to the United States Department of State, Hamas is funded by Iran (led by a Shi'a Islam regime), Palestinian expatriates, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. The party is known to support families of suicide bombers after their deaths. Some believe the financial support includes a monthly allowance. Various sources, among them United Press International,"Hamas history tied to Israel", United Press International, June 18, 2002 Le Canard enchaîné, Bill Baar, Gérard Chaliand Gérard Chaliand: « En Irak, l'insurrection armée montre sa terrible efficacité face à la meilleure armée du monde », April 2006 interview with Gérard Chaliand, renowned specialist of guerrillas movements and international politics and L'Humanité/; French original version: have highlighted that Hamas' early growth — before its official founding and the creation of the military branch — had been supported by the Mossad as a "counterbalance to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)". Furthermore, the French investigative newspaper Le Canard enchaîné stated that Shabak 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". Les très secrètes 'relations' Israël-Hamas (The very secret Israel-Hamas 'relations'), Le Canard Enchaîné, February 1, 2006 (issue n°4449)

Children's web site Al Fateh is Hamas' web site for children . According to The Museum of Harmony and Golden Section, "Al-Fateh" means "first". "Libya: the land of infinite variety and contrast". Museum of Harmony and Golden Section. According to Our Jerusalem, it means "conqueror". "On CAMERA Column: Ignoring Hamas Hate-Indoctrination". Our Jerusalem. February 9th, 2006. The site says it is for "the young builders of the future."

Several Israeli reviews and news coverages of the site describe it as hate mongering and accuse it of teaching violence and terrorism to children ,

BBC NEWS | In Depth | Israel and the Palestinians | Profiles | Who ...
Hamas, the main Islamist movement in the Palestinian territories, was born soon after the previous intifada erupted in 1987.

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A security force deployed by the ruling Palestinian party Hamas withdraws from the streets of Gaza.

Hamas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ḥamas (حركة حماس; acronym: حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, or Ḥarakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya or "Islamic Resistance Movement" is a Palestinian Sunni ...

Hamas

Hamas definition of Hamas in the Free Online Encyclopedia.
Hamas (hämäs`) [Arab., = zeal], Arabic acronym for the . Islamic Resistance Movement, a Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization that was founded in 1987 during the ...

HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement)
A profile of Terrorist Organizations and Other Para-States. ... HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement) Description. HAMAS (in Arabic, an acronym for "Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamia ...

Hamas Charter
Charter of the Hamas ... Hamas Charter The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) 18 August 1988

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Abbas dissolves the Palestinian government and declares a state of emergency. ... Website of the Telegraph Media Group with breaking news, sport, business, latest UK ...

 

Hamas



 
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