The Israeli Response

The Israeli Response

Israel has created and funded Hamas

The Israeli Response

  • The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the political representative of the Palestinians since 1964, had been committing acts of violence against Israeli civilians for decades.
  • In 1979, Israel attempted to destabilize the PLO by recognizing an Islamic charity group known as Mujama al-Islamiya. At that time, it comprised of clinics, kindergartens, libraries, mosques, and the Islamic University of Gaza.
  • The group was led by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza was then focused on social and religious issues.
  • Israel believed the group to be 100% peaceful, and they were.
  • By the mid-1980s, Israel began receiving intelligence that the organization was collecting weapons.
    • When interrogated, Yassin claimed that the weapons were not meant to be used against Israel.
  • In 1984, the Israeli military raided a mosque and found a cache of weapons. Yassin was sentenced to 13 years in prison for secretly stockpiling weapons, but was released early as part of a prisoner exchange.
  • In 1987, when the first Intifada was sparked, Yassin together with 6 other Islamist members decided to form a new Muslim Brotherhood affiliated group: Hamas.
  • Yassin became its spiritual leader, and claimed responsibility for a number of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians.
  • In 1988, Hamas published its charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel and the slaughter of innocent Jews.
  • In 2007 Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip.
  • In recent years, Israel has permitted the flow of Qatari and international aid into the Gaza strip, hoping to improve its economic situation.
    • Even though some of that aid ended up reaching Hamas, it is in no way equivalent to Israel funding Hamas.

Resources

People Involved

Conclusions

Israel recognized a non-violent charity that later became violent towards Israeli civilians and developed into what is now known as 'Hamas'. Israel's support and aid to the Gaza strip are not directed at the organization but at the Palestinian population governed by it.

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