Authors: Khaled Hroub
ISBN-13: 9780745329727, ISBN-10: 0745329721
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Pluto Press
Date Published: September 2010
Edition: Second Edition, New Edition
Khaled Hroub is a Palestinian, born into a refugee camp in Bethlehem, and now part of the diaspora of educated intellectuals. He is currently director of the Arab Media Project at Cambridge University and is the author of three previous books on Hamas.
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.
Preface
Introduction
Introduction to the Second Edition
1 Hamas's history 1
Islamism and the Palestinian struggle 1
The Muslim Brotherhood roots of Hamas 6
The formation of Hamas 11
2 Hamas's ideology, strategy and objectives 15
The definition of Hamas, its ideological drive and worldview 15
What is the Hamas Charter, and is it relevant? 23
Hamas: a national liberation movement or a religious movement? 29
3 Hamas, Israel and Judaism 34
Hamas's view of the Jews 34
Hamas's view of Israel 40
4 Hamas's resistance and military strategy 45
Forcing unconditional Israeli withdrawal 45
Suicide attacks 53
5 Hamas's political and social strategy 58
Hamas's position on the various peace plans with Israel 58
Elections, democracy and mobilization 61
Hamas's economic outlook 66
Grassroots social work 68
6 Hamas and the Palestinians 76
Hamas's popularity 76
Hamas and secular Palestinian movements 81
7 Hamas and 'International Islamism' 93
Hamas and Muslim countries 93
Hamas and Muslim communities in the West 95
Hamas and Islamist movements 98
8 Hamas and the West 104
Hamas and the West 104
Hamas and the United States 108
Hamas and Europe 111
9 Hamas's leadership and structure 115
Leadership 115
Where does Hamas get its money? 133
10 A new Hamas? 136
Hamas and the 2006 elections 136
The significance of Hamas's victory in the Legislative Council elections of 2006 144
11 Hamas in power 151
The mixed fortunes of Hamas in power 151
The mixed fortunes of Hamas in power sharing and control 161
12 The future of Hamas 166
Will Hamas maintain a moderate or radical line of thinking and action? 166
Will Hamas be stronger or weaker in the foreseeable future? 167
What will be the impact of Hamas on Middle Eastern politics and stability? 170
What is Hamas's future after its full control over the Gaza Strip and the separation from the West Bank? 173
13 Hamas and the Gaza war 177
Has Hamas been weakened by the war militarily and politically? 179
Has the Gaza war strengthened or weakened Hamas's regional standing and allies? 181
Recommended reading 186
Index 189