From: jle@lear.bos.locus.com (John Elghani)
Subject: Re: Hamas
Organization: LC
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 19:05:22 GMT

In article <1gm519INN9im@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> bc744@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Mark Ira Kaufman) writes:
>
>				HAMAS
>
>    Background
>
>    HAMAS,  a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood,  evolved in the territories
>    during the  years 1967-77, inspired by the Brotherhood founded in Egypt
>    in the 1920's.

You have mentioned all of what Hamas is doing, but failed to mention why?
YOu should mention that they live under a brutal occupation, land theft,
torture, daily massacres, dignity insults, and above all a terrorist state
Israel.

>
>    In  1978, it  was  registered  by Sheikh  Ahmad Yasin  as a  non-profit
>    organization under  the name of "al-Mujama".  In the first years of its
>    existence,  the organization  concentrated on winning over people to be
>    observant  Muslims,  and  gained  influence  and  power  in educational
>    institutions, universities and mosques.
>
>    The organization  was founded  in its  present militant  form after the
>    outbreak  of  the  intifada.  The  outbreak  of  the  intifada  and the
>    establishment  of  "Islamic  Jihad" - a  rival  organization  which had
>    broken away  from the Muslim Brotherhood and advocated violent struggle
>    - spurred HAMAS,  an acronym for the "Islamic Resistance Movement",  to
>    begin militant activity.
>
>    Under the banner of Islam,  the movement began to direct its activities
>    not only  against the Israeli authorities in the territories,  but also
>    against supporters of Fatah, the mainstream organization of the PLO.
>
>
>    Ideology
>
>    The ideology  of HAMAS combines religious principles and pan-Arab ideas
>    with  Palestinian  national  aspirations.  HAMAS  sees  Palestine  as a
>    religious trust  (waqf) which should  remain under  Muslim control  for
>    eternity.  In the organization's "covenant",  published in August 1988,
>    HAMAS wrote that "the liberation of Palestine in its entirety, from the
>    [Mediterranean] Sea  to  the  [Jordan] River,  is  the  most  lofty  of
>    strategic goals." As  part of  this policy,  HAMAS  opposes the idea of
>    self-government  for  the Palestinians,  as  well as  the entire  peace
>    process.
>
>
>    Finances
>
>    In order  to finance  its social and military activities,  HAMAS raises
>    funds from  several sources:  donations and membership fees,  which are
>    collected from  members and supporters in the territories,  fundraising
>    meetings among  its Muslim  and Arab  supporters both in the Arab world
>    and  in  the  West,  and  direct financial  aid from  Arab and  Islamic
>    countries, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states.
>
>
>    Operations
>
>    Motivated by the HAMAS' radical and militant ideology,  every member of
>    the organization  feels a personal duty to engage in the armed struggle
>    against  Israel.  Leaflet  No.  65 of  HAMAS  which was  distributed in
>    October 1990 called  for the  murder of  Jews and  the burning of their
>    property:  "Every Jew  is a  settler and  it is  our obligation to kill
>    him."
>
>    HAMAS' major  operations  have  included  gunfire  attacks  on  Israeli
>    civilian and  military targets,  bombs  directed at security forces and
>    IDF  installations  in  the  territories,  firebombs thrown  at Israeli
>    civilian and military vehicles,  the murder of suspected collaborators,
>    and the concealment of arms in mosques and the homes of activists.
>
>
>    List of Selected HAMAS Operations
>
>    February 1989 - Kidnapping and murder of IDF soldier Avi Sasportas.
>
>    May 1989 -      Kidnapping and murder of IDF soldier Ilan Sa'adon.
>
>    December 1990 - Murder of three workers at an aluminum factory in Jaffa
>		    (one of the murderers was apprehended and confessed).
>
>    March 1991 -    A three-man  terrorist gang,  in  whose possession  was
>		    found a  picture of  Yasin,  landed in  Eilat with  the
>		    intention of carrying out a mass attack.
>
>
>    Most Recent HAMAS Attacks
>
>    October 21, 1992 - Shots were fired at a military vehicle in Heborn. As
>    a result of the attack, an officer and a soldier were injured. The 'Izz
>    al-Din al-Qassam squad,  identified with HAMAS,  claimed responsibility
>    for this attack.
>
>    October 25, 1992 - Shots  were fired  at an  IDF aobservation post near
>    the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Reserve soldier Shmuel Geresh was
>    killed  and  another  soldier  was slightly  wounded.  The 'Izz  al-Din
>    al-Qassam squad claimed responsibility for this attack as well.
>
>    November 21, 1992 - A HAMAS car-bomb set to go off in a crowded site in
>    Or Yehuda was averted.
>
>    December 7, 1992 - Shots  were fired  from a  moving vehicle  at an IDF
>    jeep 300 meters  from the  Saja'iyya-Nahal Oz  junction.  Three reserve
>    soldiers  were   killed.   The  'Izz  al-Din  al-Qassam  squad  claimed
>    responsibility for the attack.
>
>    December 12, 1992 - Shots  were fired  from a  moving vehicle at an IDF
>    jeep near the southern approaches to Hebron. The driver of the jeep was
>    killed and  two other  soldiers in the car were injured.  HAMAS claimed
>    responsibility for the operation.
>
>
>
>