Hamas: Difference between revisions

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In the January 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections Hamas won a decisive majority in the Palestinian Parliament,[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-BBC-Hamas-who-7 [7]] defeating the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Liberation_Organization PLO]-affiliated Fatah party. Following the elections, the United States and the EU [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006%E2%80%932007_economic_sanctions_against_the_Palestinian_National_Authority halted financial assistance] to the Hamas-led administration.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-Newsweek1-25 [25]] In March 2007 a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinan_authority_national_unity_government national unity government], headed by Prime Minister [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismail_Haniya Ismail Haniya] of Hamas was briefly formed, but this failed to restart international financial assistance.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-pact-26 [26]] Tensions over control of Palestinian security forces soon erupted into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Battle_of_Gaza 2007 Battle of Gaza],[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-pact-26 [26]] after which Hamas retained control of Gaza while its officials were ousted from government positions in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bank West Bank].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-pact-26 [26]] Israel and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt Egypt] then imposed an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%93present_blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip economic blockade on Gaza], on the grounds that Fatah forces were no longer providing security there.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-iht.com-27 [27]]

In June 2008, as part of an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_ceasefire Egyptian-brokered ceasefire], Hamas ceased rocket attacks on Israel and made some efforts to prevent attacks by other organizations.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-28 [28]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]][''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]''] After a four-month calm, the conflict escalated when Israel carried out a military action with the stated aim of preventing an abduction planned by Hamas, using a tunnel that had been dug under the border security fence,[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]''] and killed seven Hamas operatives. In retaliation, Hamas attacked Israel with a barrage of rockets.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]][''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ynetnews.com-30 [30]] In late December 2008, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict Israel attacked Gaza],[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-31 [31]] withdrawing its forces from the territory in mid-January 2009.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-32 [32]] After the Gaza War, Hamas continued to govern the Gaza Strip and Israel maintained its economic blockade. On May 4, 2011, Hamas and Fatah announced a reconciliation agreement that provides for "creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government" prior to national elections scheduled for 2012.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-33 [33]] According to Israeli news reports quoting Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, as a condition of joining the PLO, Khaled Meshaal agreed to discontinue the "armed struggle" against Israel and accept Palestinian statehood within the 1967 borders, alongside Israel.

In June 2008, as part of an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_ceasefire Egyptian-brokered ceasefire], Hamas ceased rocket attacks on Israel and made some efforts to prevent attacks by other organizations.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-28 [28]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]][''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]''] After a four-month calm, the conflict escalated when Israel carried out a military action with the stated aim of preventing an abduction planned by Hamas, using a tunnel that had been dug under the border security fence,[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]''] and killed seven Hamas operatives. In retaliation, Hamas attacked Israel with a barrage of rockets.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]][''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]''] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ynetnews.com-30 [30]] In late December 2008, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict Israel attacked Gaza],[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-31 [31]] withdrawing its forces from the territory in mid-January 2009.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-32 [32]] After the Gaza War, Hamas continued to govern the Gaza Strip and Israel maintained its economic blockade. On May 4, 2011, Hamas and Fatah announced a reconciliation agreement that provides for "creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government" prior to national elections scheduled for 2012.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-33 [33]] According to Israeli news reports quoting Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, as a condition of joining the PLO, Khaled Meshaal agreed to discontinue the "armed struggle" against Israel and accept Palestinian statehood within the 1967 borders, alongside Israel. The two groups reconciled in 2014, and both joined together to form the [[Palestinian Unity Government]], but this alliance later fell apart after both attempted to seize control by replacing the cabinet with their own supporters.

Hamas inherited from its predecessor a tripartite structure that consisted in the provision of social services, of religious training and military operations under a Shura Council. Traditionally it had four distinct functions: (a) a charitable social welfare division (dawah); (b) a military division for procuring weapons and undertaking operations (al-Mujahideen al Filastinun); (c) a security service (Jehaz Aman); and (d) a media branch (A'alam). Hamas has both an internal leadership within the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and an external leadership, split between a Gaza group directed by Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook from his exile first in Damascus and then in Egypt, and a Kuwaiti group (Kuwaidia) under [[Khaled Mashal]]. The Kuwaiti group of Palestinian exiles began to receive extensive funding from the Gulf States after its leader Mashal broke with [[Yasser Arafat]]'s decision to side with [[Saddam Hussein]] in the Invasion of Kuwait, with Mashal insisting that Iraq withdraw. On May 6, 2017, Hamas' Shura Council chose [[Ismail Haniya]] to become the new leader, to replace Mashal.

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 In the January 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections Hamas won a decisive majority in the Palestinian Parliament,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BBC-Hamas-who_7-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-BBC-Hamas-who-7 [7]]</sup> defeating the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Liberation_Organization PLO]-affiliated Fatah party. Following the elections, the United States and the EU [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006%E2%80%932007_economic_sanctions_against_the_Palestinian_National_Authority halted financial assistance] to the Hamas-led administration.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Newsweek1_25-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-Newsweek1-25 [25]]</sup> In March 2007 a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinan_authority_national_unity_government national unity government], headed by Prime Minister [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismail_Haniya Ismail Haniya] of Hamas was briefly formed, but this failed to restart international financial assistance.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pact_26-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-pact-26 [26]]</sup> Tensions over control of Palestinian security forces soon erupted into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Battle_of_Gaza 2007 Battle of Gaza],<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pact_26-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-pact-26 [26]]</sup> after which Hamas retained control of Gaza while its officials were ousted from government positions in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bank West Bank].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pact_26-2">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-pact-26 [26]]</sup> Israel and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt Egypt] then imposed an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%93present_blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip economic blockade on Gaza], on the grounds that Fatah forces were no longer providing security there.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-iht.com_27-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-iht.com-27 [27]]</sup>
-In June 2008, as part of an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_ceasefire Egyptian-brokered ceasefire], Hamas ceased rocket attacks on Israel and made some efforts to prevent attacks by other organizations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-28 [28]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ITIC_29-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]]</sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]'']</sup> After a four-month calm, the conflict escalated when Israel carried out a military action with the stated aim of preventing an abduction planned by Hamas, using a tunnel that had been dug under the border security fence,<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]'']</sup> and killed seven Hamas operatives. In retaliation, Hamas attacked Israel with a barrage of rockets.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ITIC_29-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]]</sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]'']</sup> <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ynetnews.com_30-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ynetnews.com-30 [30]]</sup> In late December 2008, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict Israel attacked Gaza],<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-31 [31]]</sup> withdrawing its forces from the territory in mid-January 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-32 [32]]</sup> After the Gaza War, Hamas continued to govern the Gaza Strip and Israel maintained its economic blockade. On May 4, 2011, Hamas and Fatah announced a reconciliation agreement that provides for "creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government" prior to national elections scheduled for 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-33 [33]]</sup> According to Israeli news reports quoting Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, as a condition of joining the PLO, Khaled Meshaal agreed to discontinue the "armed struggle" against Israel and accept Palestinian statehood within the 1967 borders, alongside Israel.
+In June 2008, as part of an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_ceasefire Egyptian-brokered ceasefire], Hamas ceased rocket attacks on Israel and made some efforts to prevent attacks by other organizations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-28 [28]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ITIC_29-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]]</sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]'']</sup> After a four-month calm, the conflict escalated when Israel carried out a military action with the stated aim of preventing an abduction planned by Hamas, using a tunnel that had been dug under the border security fence,<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]'']</sup> and killed seven Hamas operatives. In retaliation, Hamas attacked Israel with a barrage of rockets.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ITIC_29-1">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ITIC-29 [29]]</sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:RS broken citation]'']</sup> <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ynetnews.com_30-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-ynetnews.com-30 [30]]</sup> In late December 2008, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%932009_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict Israel attacked Gaza],<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-31 [31]]</sup> withdrawing its forces from the territory in mid-January 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-32 [32]]</sup> After the Gaza War, Hamas continued to govern the Gaza Strip and Israel maintained its economic blockade. On May 4, 2011, Hamas and Fatah announced a reconciliation agreement that provides for "creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government" prior to national elections scheduled for 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#cite_note-33 [33]]</sup> According to Israeli news reports quoting Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, as a condition of joining the PLO, Khaled Meshaal agreed to discontinue the "armed struggle" against Israel and accept Palestinian statehood within the 1967 borders, alongside Israel. The two groups  reconciled in 2014, and both joined together to form the [[Palestinian Unity Government]], but this alliance later fell apart after both attempted to seize control by replacing the cabinet with their own supporters.
 Hamas inherited from its predecessor a tripartite structure that consisted in the provision of social services, of religious training and military operations under a Shura Council. Traditionally it had four distinct functions: (a) a charitable social welfare division (dawah); (b) a military division for procuring weapons and undertaking operations (al-Mujahideen al Filastinun); (c) a security service (Jehaz Aman); and (d) a media branch (A'alam). Hamas has both an internal leadership within the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and an external leadership, split between a Gaza group directed by Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook from his exile first in Damascus and then in Egypt, and a Kuwaiti group (Kuwaidia) under [[Khaled Mashal]]. The Kuwaiti group of Palestinian exiles began to receive extensive funding from the Gulf States after its leader Mashal broke with [[Yasser Arafat]]'s decision to side with [[Saddam Hussein]] in the Invasion of Kuwait, with Mashal insisting that Iraq withdraw. On May 6, 2017, Hamas' Shura Council chose [[Ismail Haniya]] to become the new leader, to replace Mashal.