"But, but, Hamas was democratically elected"
Ten Facts about the Palestinian Terror Group Hamas from the Israel project
1. Hamas Leadership
Hamas is a radical Islamic terror group operating out of the Gaza Strip. Hamas, which means “enthusiasm” or “bravery” in Arabic, is the acronym for its full title, the Islamic Resistance Movement. Its military wing is called Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, named after the early 20th century militant leader. Hamas also has a paramilitary police force, known as the Executive Force. The group has some 20,000 fighters among its ranks...
2. Hamas Founders
Founded in 1987, Hamas was created by former Muslim Brotherhood members Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Mahmoud al-Zahar. Abdullah Azzam, an Arab Islamist from the West Bank city of Jenin, was another pivotal figure in the founding of Hamas. He studied with Muslim Brotherhood members at Cairo’s al-Azhar University and became al-Qaeda arch terrorist Osama bin Laden’s mentor in Pakistan.
3. Hamas Terror Tactics
Hamas carries out civilian attacks and suicide bombings and purposefully fires rockets at Israeli towns and cities. Human rights group Amnesty International called on Hamas to "publicly renounce its policy of unlawful attacks against civilian population centers in Israel." The group’s hardline ethos advocates fighting Jews in order to create an Islamic Palestinian state in place of what is currently Israel.
4. Hamas, an Iranian Proxy
Like the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, Gaza-based Hamas is funded, armed and trained by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran provides hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to Hamas and other proxy groups.In fact, Hamas militants are trained in Iran and weapons provided by Iran are routinely smuggled into Gaza.
5. Hamas’ Bloody Gaza Takeover
Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007, when it violently ousted Fatah, the political party of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. During the year that culminated with the bloody coup, more than 600 Palestinians were killed and at over 1000 were wounded
6. Hamas: Bin Laden a Holy Warrior
United States House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) states: “Hamas is a Foreign Terrorist Organization that calls bin Laden a ‘holy warrior,’ remains determined to destroy Israel, and is responsible for the deaths of Israelis and Americans.”
7. A Hamas-Fatah Government
Referring to the impending Hamas-Fatah move towards a new Palestinian government, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen added in a statement: “Now, Hamas will be a part of the PA, without having to recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence, or accept previous agreements.” World leaders have called the move towards Hamas-Fatah unity a blow to peace because of Hamas’ hardline and violent rhetoric.
8. Palestinian Violence
In April 2011, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "The United States supports Palestinian reconciliation on terms which promote the cause of peace…Hamas, however, is a terrorist organization which targets civilians. To play a constructive role in achieving peace, any Palestinian government must... renounce violence, abide by past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist."
9. Hamas and al-Qaeda
Although Hamas denies its ties to al-Qaeda, operational links – as well as ideological similarities - between the two terror groups have been confirmed. Jonathan Schanzer, a Middle East expert at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, confirms that the two groups trained together in the 1990s in Sudan
10. Hamas’ Capture of Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit, an Israeli-French national, was kidnapped by Iran-backed Hamas on June 25, 2006 during a cross-border raid from Gaza into Israel. Shalit was a 19-year old soldier at the time. He was released more than five years later in October 2011. Hamas violated Shalit’s most basic human rights as a captive, barring any visits from humanitarian organizations as demanded by international law.
Read it all at the Israel Project
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