Hamas’ Violent Agenda: The Deeper Animosity Towards Israel Revealed
The radical Palestinian militant organization, Hamas, has long maintained a fierce and deadly hostility towards Israel that surpasses the sentiment found within other Palestinian ruling bodies. Unlike the largely secular and peace-oriented Palestine Liberation Organization and Fatah, Hamas rejects Israel’s right to exist and has consistently aimed to liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation through any means necessary.
Established in the poverty-stricken Gaza Strip during the 1980s and ’90s under stifling Israeli military occupation, Hamas has grown to have a robust military wing with assistance from neighboring countries like Iran. Although Hamas follows Sunni Islam, it receives enthusiastic support from Iran and Hezbollah, even though they adhere to Shiite Islam.
While the Palestinian Authority supports the two-state solution, Hamas rejects it as a permanent resolution. Instead, Hamas advocates for a Palestine that spans from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, without the existence of Israel. It is worth noting that some extremists within the current Israeli government also support a similar vision, which further exacerbates tensions.
Hamas is estimated to have between 10,000 to 40,000 fighters in Gaza, a densely populated region with 2.2 million inhabitants. The group has resorted to brutal tactics, including suicide bombings and commando raids, as evidenced by recent kidnappings and killings of Israelis. The Israeli military and intelligence maintain that Hamas is willing to use civilians as human shields.
In a calculated move, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack last Saturday, fully aware that Israel would exact painful revenge. The leaders of the organization may have believed that the price was worth paying to embarrass the Israeli government and its intelligence apparatus by infiltrating and killing numerous Israelis. Additionally, Hamas may hope that a significant number of Palestinian casualties could garner temporary sympathy in the Arab and Muslim world.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller highlighted Hamas’ callousness by stating that the terrorists initiated the activity despite knowing the inevitable retaliation and the loss of Palestinian civilian lives.
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a graduate of the Muslim Brotherhood, founded Hamas in 1987. However, Israeli forces assassinated him in 2004.
The existence of such deep-rooted animosity and violent intentions from Hamas further complicates the already challenging Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With differing beliefs and approaches to the issue, the path to peace remains elusive.
