A Brief History of Palestine by Smith KJ

Author:Smith, KJ
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

RISE OF HAMAS AND THE INTERNAL PALESTINIAN DIVIDE

The failure of the Oslo Accords, the ongoing Israeli occupation, and the unresolved issues of Palestinian statehood set the stage for a significant shift in Palestinian politics. In the years following the collapse of the peace process, a new and powerful political force emerged: Hamas. The rise of this Islamist group, in contrast to the secular, nationalist vision of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), would deepen the internal divisions within Palestinian society and further complicate the path to peace and Palestinian statehood.

This chapter explores the origins and evolution of Hamas, its ideological stance, its relationship with the Palestinian Authority (PA), and the impact of its rise on the Palestinian national movement.

The Origins of Hamas: The Islamist Challenge

Hamas, which stands for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya), was founded in 1987, at the outset of the First Intifada. Its roots lie in the broader context of Islamic revivalism and the influence of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that advocated for an Islamic-based social and political order. The Muslim Brotherhood had long been active in the Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, where it had established social institutions such as schools, charities, and medical clinics.

While the PLO and Fatah had long been the dominant forces in Palestinian politics, Hamas was created as an alternative to the secular nationalist movements represented by the PLO. Its founders, including Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who became its spiritual leader, were motivated by a belief in the necessity of a Palestinian Islamic identity and the need for resistance to the Israeli occupation based on religious principles.

Hamas’s founding charter, which was issued in 1988, articulated its ideological stance. The charter called for the establishment of an Islamic state in all of historical Palestine and rejected any compromise with Israel. Unlike the secular PLO, which had embraced the idea of a two-state solution as a means to achieve Palestinian self-determination, Hamas viewed any recognition of Israel as a betrayal of Palestinian rights. The group also rejected the Oslo Accords, which it saw as a sellout to Israeli occupation and a failure to secure Palestinian independence.

Hamas’s opposition to the peace process and its uncompromising stance on the conflict with Israel would distinguish it from the PLO and later from the Palestinian Authority, which had agreed to recognize Israel as part of the Oslo Accords.

The Rise of Hamas: Popular Support and Armed Struggle

In the early years of its existence, Hamas remained largely a grassroots organization focused on providing social services and advocating for the establishment of an Islamic society in the Palestinian territories. However, the group's popularity grew rapidly as it participated in the First Intifada, not only through acts of resistance but also by offering a compelling alternative to the Palestinian political establishment.

Hamas’s popularity surged in the 1990s as it positioned itself as a movement that was more committed to resistance than the Palestinian Authority or the PLO. The group’s slogan, “Islam is the solution,” resonated with many Palestinians who felt disillusioned by

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