I.

Introduction

Hamas, Palestinian group seeking to create a single, Islamic state in historic Palestine, which is now largely divided between Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Hamas, meaning “zeal” or “fervor” in Arabic, is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya, or Islamic Resistance Movement. Hamas’s charter calls for Israel’s destruction, and Hamas has engaged in terrorist activities. It entered the political arena for the first time in 2005 by participating in municipal elections in Gaza and the West Bank. In the 2006 legislative elections for the Palestinian National Authority, Hamas found significant support among Palestinian Arabs residing in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.

Hamas’s leadership grew up in the late 1940s, mostly as impoverished offspring of Palestinian refugees. Many of Hamas’s leaders were educated in Cairo during the rule of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. Present members include religious leaders, sheikhs (Arab chiefs), intellectuals, technocrats, businessmen, young activists, and paramilitary fighters.

To cultivate support, Hamas has provided social services to the needy in the 11 refugee camps in Gaza. Providing social welfare and education through clinics, kindergartens, summer camps, medical services, sports programs, and job programs tied the Hamas leadership to its supporters. Mosques and Islamic religious organizations have been Hamas’s most important vehicles for spreading its message and providing its services. Partly funded by its members, most funds come from sympathizers abroad. Because the European Union (EU) and the United States have labeled Hamas a terrorist organization, funds raised for Hamas in Europe and the United States have been seized, and the organization’s fundraising ability has been curtailed.