Hamas Terrorism: A Threat to Peace and Stability in the Middle East
September 23, 2005

Hamas is a terrorist organization responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent Israeli citizens, in addition to foreign nationals. Their terrorist activities jeopardize the possibility of a democratic Palestinian Authority, and threaten peace and stability in the Middle East.

A Movement of Terror

• Hamas is the Arabic acronym for "The Islamic Resistance Movement". In 1988, Hamas published the "Islamic Covenant", which opposes Israel's existence in any form. It states that "there is no solution to the Palestinian problem except through jihad (holy war)."
  
• Hamas' platform calls for the creation of an Islamic state that would replace Israel: "[Hamas] strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine." The platform is also anti-Semitic and encourages attacks on Jews: "Israel, by virtue of its being Jewish and of having a Jewish population, defies Islam and the Muslims."

Hamas Attacks on Israel and Innocent Citizens

• Hamas has perpetrated thousands of terror attacks in a variety of forms, including sending suicide bombers into Israeli cafes, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls and buses, firing Qassam rockets on Israeli communities and shooting Israeli vehicles.
  
• Hamas terrorists use underground tunnels to smuggle weapons and terrorists from Egypt into Gaza and are involved in the development and production of weapons and ammunition.
  
• Since September 2000, Hamas has carried out thousands of terror attacks in which 425 civilians and soldiers were murdered and 2,233 wounded.

Violence and Incitement Follows Israel's Disengagement from Gaza

• Thousands of Hamas supporters desecrated synagogues left in Gaza by setting them on fire. This was a barbaric act carried out by people with no respect for holy places.
  
• Greenhouses left by Israel were ransacked, despite efforts by Israel, the United States and the private sector to maintain them. These greenhouses supply jobs for thousands of Palestinians. By supporting their destruction, Hamas proved it does not care for the welfare of the Palestinian people.
  
• Hamas terrorists paraded with weapons through the streets of Gaza City following the disengagement. These events were aimed at defying the notion that the Hamas terrorist infrastructure has to be dismantled as outlined in the Road Map.
  
• Raed Saed, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza City, vowed to continue terrorist activities aimed at destroying Israel: "We will not rest and will not abandon the path of jihad and martyrdom as long as one inch of our land remained in the hands of the Jews.We are celebrating our victory in Gaza and now we are headed toward Jerusalem, Nablus, Akko, Haifa, the Galilee and all of Palestine."

Preventing Democracy

• The organization and beliefs of Hamas are anti-democratic and against the basic freedoms which the Western world strives to achieve, including the rule of law, freedom of the press, freedom of speech and equality for women.
  
• Hamas considers itself an alternative to the Palestinian Authority and has actively tried to undermine Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas. Hamas explicitly rejected calls from Abbas, moderate Arabs states and the international community for a cease-fire and has stated it will not accept the Road Map or any other peace proposal that would recognize the existence of Israel.
  
• With this platform of terror and hatred, Hamas has no place among democratic institutions.