HAMAS

On October 11, 2023,CBS reported that “The United States confirms 22 Americans dead as families reveal details of Hamas attacks in Israel.” The report continued, “The attacks claimed more than 1,200 lives in Israel. At least 1,100 have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

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Reporting by rescuing organizations confirmed the murder and rape of women, children, the elderly, and the decapitation of infants.

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John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council reportedthat seventeen Americans remain unaccounted for.He said that “A numberof the missing are hostages of Hamas,” but he wouldn’t give a number.He continued, “We need to steel ourselves for the very distinct possibility these numbers will keep increasing.” Addressing the families of the missing and killed he said, “We are grieving with you. We’re sorrowful for you. We’re worrying with you and we’re going to do everything we can.” 

Most Americans have little knowledge or understanding of the roots of the conflict between Israel (population 7.1 million Jews; 2.0 million Arabs and .5 million other) and its Arab neighbors.

The United States Government has done little to educate the American people about the hostile nations that it sends billions of dollars to, every year, in American taxpayer money. Most of the money is never accounted for.

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What is Hamas?

Hamas – officially the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a Sunni Islamist political and military organization governing the Gaza Strip (population 2.3 million – 99% Sunni Muslims) of the Palestinian territories.

Hamas is headquartered in Gaza City. It also has members in the West Bank – the larger of the two Palestinian territories. The rival of Hamas is Fatah who control the West Bank (population 2.9 million – 85% Sunni Muslims, 12% Jewish and the remainder of Christians and other.

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The Hamas Charter (Covenant) was originally issued on August 18, 1988. In 2006, Mahmoud al-Zahar, co-founder of Hamas, said that Hamas “Will not change a single word of its covenant. We will not recognize the Israeli enemy.”

The Charter outlines the founding, identity, and the aims of Hamas.

The charter emphasized four main themes:

  1. Destroying Israel and establishing an Islamic theocracy in Palestine is essential.
  2. Unrestrained jihad is necessary to achieve this.
  3. Negotiated resolutions of Jewish and Palestinian claims to the land are unacceptable.
  4. Historical antisemitic tropes that reinforce goals.

The Charter proclaims that Israel will exist until Islam obliterates it, and jihad against Jews is required until Judgement Day. Compromise over the land is forbidden. The documents promoted holy war as divinely ordained, reject political solutions, and call for instilling these views in children.

The updated 2017 Charter (Covenant) moderates Hamas’s position by stating that Hamas is not anti-Jewish, but anti-Zionist. (Zionist is defined as a person who believes in the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel). The updated Charter retains the goal of the complete elimination of Israel.

Fatah – formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement is a Palestinian nationalist and social democratic political party. It is the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Mahoud Abbas is the President of the Palestinian Authority and is also the Chairman of Fatah. Fatah was founded by Yasser Arafat. He was the leader of Fatah until his death in 2004. Members of Fatah are also Sunni Muslims.

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Sunni and Shia Muslims share the most fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the two main sub-groups in Islam. 85% of Muslims in the world are Sunni. They believe that “Leadership of the community is not a birthright.” 15% of Muslims in the world are Shia. They believe that “Imam is sinless by nature, his authority is infallible.”

Both Muslim sub-groups proclaim to adhere to the “Five Pillars of Islam.”

Shahada – declares belief in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammed as God’s messenger.

Salah – is defined as the act of offering prayers to Allah. The principle of Salah is to ensure Muslims maintain their faith and devotion to Allah.

Zakat – is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth to help the needy. Wealth is based on the value of all of one’s possessions.

Sawm – is the Arabic term used to describe the act of fasting. Muslims are required to fast during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

Hajj – Hajj is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. Every adult Muslim must make at least one pilgrimage in his or her lifetime. The pilgrimage rite begins on the 7th day of the last month of the Islamic year.

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Iran, also known as Persia, is the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Iran has a population of approximately 87 million and its capital is Tehran. Iran is an Islamic theocracy with a presidential system. Ultimate authority is with the “Supreme Leader”, Ali Khamenei. The religion of Iran is 99% + Shia Muslim.

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Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the government of Iran has been accused of training, financing, and providing weapons and safe havens for terrorist organizations. Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian Groups such as the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine are some of the terrorist groups that Iran supported and sponsored.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei stated that Israel was nothing more than a “terrorist camp” and urged the Palestinians to unite their efforts in fighting Tel Aviv. He claimed that Israel has “turned occupied Palestine into a base for terrorism.”

On the day of Hamas’ attack on Israel, Iran’s parliament chanted “death to Israel” and “Palestine is victorious, Israel will be destroyed.” An advisor to the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei congratulated the Palestinian fighters.

When Iranians and Hamas supporters chant, ‘Death to Israel and Death to America,’ They Mean It.

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Warning: On October 27, 2023, a Customs and Border Protection memo sounded an alarm on Hamas and Hezbollah fighters who may be potentially using the southern border to enter the U.S. – “Individuals inspired by, or reacting to, the current Israel-Hamas conflict may attempt travel to or from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via circuitous transit to cross the United States Southeast border.”

James Peifer

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