Hamas A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition

by Hroub, Khaled

• ISBN13: 9780745329727
• ISBN10: 0745329721
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-08-15
• Publisher: Pluto Press

Summary

This beginner's guide to Hamas has been fully revised and updated. It now covers all the major events since the January 2006 elections, including the conflict with Fatah and Israel's brutal offensive in Gaza at the end of 2008.Explaining the reasons for Hamas's popularity, leading Al-Jazeera journalist and Cambridge academic Khaled Hroub provides the key facts that are so often missing from conventional news reports. It's a one-stop guide that gives a clear overview of Hamas's history, key beliefs, and its political agenda.This unique book provides a refreshing perspective that gets to the heart of Hamas.

Author Biography

Khaled Hroub was born in a refugee camp in Bethlehem. He is currently director of the Arab Media Project at Cambridge University and he hosts a weekly book review program for Al-Jazeera TV. He is the author of three previous books.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. viii
Introduction	p. xi
Introduction to the Second Edition	p. xxiii
Hamas's history	p. 1
Islamism and the Palestinian struggle	p. 1
The Muslim Brotherhood roots of Hamas	p. 6
The formation of Hamas	p. 11
Hamas's ideology, strategy and objectives	p. 15
The definition of Hamas, its ideological drive and worldview	p. 15
What is the Hamas Charter, and is it relevant?	p. 23
Hamas: a national liberation movement or a religious movement?	p. 29
Hamas, Israel and Judaism	p. 34
Hamas's view of the Jews	p. 34
Hamas's view of Israel	p. 40
Hamas's resistance and military strategy	p. 45
Forcing unconditional Israeli withdrawal	p. 45
Suicide attacks	p. 53
Hamas's political and social strategy	p. 58
Hamas's position on the various peace plans with Israel	p. 58
Elections, democracy and mobilization	p. 61
Hamas's economic outlook	p. 66
Grassroots social work	p. 68
Hamas and the Palestinians	p. 76
Hamas's popularity	p. 76
Hamas and secular Palestinian movements	p. 81
Hamas and 'International Islamism'	p. 93
Hamas and Muslim countries	p. 93
Hamas and Muslim communities in the West	p. 95
Hamas and Islamist movements	p. 98
Hamas and the West	p. 104
Hamas and the West	p. 104
Hamas and the United States	p. 108
Hamas and Europe	p. 111
Hamas's leadership and structure	p. 115
Leadership	p. 115
Where does Hamas get its money?	p. 133
A new Hamas?	p. 136
Hamas and the 2006 elections	p. 136
The significance of Hamas's victory in the Legislative Council elections of 2006	p. 144
Hamas in power	p. 151
The mixed fortunes of Hamas in power	p. 151
The mixed fortunes of Hamas in power sharing and control	p. 161
The future of Hamas	p. 166
Will Hamas maintain a moderate or radical line of thinking and action?	p. 166
Will Hamas be stronger or weaker in the foreseeable future?	p. 167
What will be the impact of Hamas on Middle Eastern politics and stability?	p. 170
What is Hamas's future after its full control over the Gaza Strip and the separation from the West Bank?	p. 173
Hamas and the Gaza war	p. 177
Has Hamas been weakened by the war militarily and politically?	p. 179
Has the Gaza war strengthened or weakened Hamas's regional standing and allies?	p. 181
Recommended reading	p. 186
Index	p. 189
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