History of Hamas

Immediately after the horrific terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, some commentators began comparing Hamas to ISIS, a political organization responsible for some of the most grisly acts of terrorism recorded this century. As Professor Tasar will explain, this comparison is misleading. Hamas owes its origins to Islamic traditions having little in common with ISIS. It has roots tracing back to 1978, when Israeli military authorities hoped to weaken the secular PLO by encouraging the creation of the Islamic University of Gaza. More than just names and dates, this presentation will take a bird’s eye view of Marxist guerrilla movements in the Third World, especially their frequent use of graphic terrorism to get publicity. It will then highlight the successful efforts by the Ayatollah Khomeini to “Islamize” these national liberation movements in the Middle East in the 1980s. Hamas was founded in 1989 as a “religious” partner in the PLO’s struggle against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. As it has evolved, Hamas represents a confluence of an older Marxist guerrilla tradition that relies on terrorism against civilians, and a newer, Iranian-inspired model of militiabased mobilization that embraces Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi movement in Yemen. The presentation will conclude by explaining the circumstances leading to Hamas’ takeover of Gaza in February 2007 and why the October 7 invasion was such a surprise, not just militarily, but ideologically as well.