Document #1314565
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
The following is an account of press
reports of Hamas' involvement in kidnappings, killings and other
violent acts.
Hamas was formed in December 1987, shortly
before the commencement of the intifada (Jeune Afrique,
11-17 Mar. 1993, 13; The Middle East Feb. 1993, 9-10). In
its early days it was most active in Hebron and Gaza, but its
influence and activities have spread to other areas of Israel
(Ibid. 14). According to Article 7 of Hamas' covenant, Hamas
is a chain in the jihad against Zionism (Contemporary Mideast
Backgrounder 1988, 6).
Random acts of violence were carried out in
the name of Hamas in its early years (The Middle East Feb.
1993, 10), but it had difficulty mobilizing people to engage in
violence and terrorism (Policy Focus Oct. 1988, 10).
In January 1990 Mohammed Halabi claimed to
have been recruited by Hamas, and he confessed to murdering 7
people to prove that he was not working as an informer for the
Israeli security service (Newsday 25 Jan. 1990). Also in January
1990 a trial commenced in which Sheikh Yassin, the leader of Hamas,
was charged with several offenses, including the May 1989 murder of
two soldiers and conspiracy to murder residents suspected of
collaborating with Israeli authorities (Revolutionary and
Dissident Movements 1991, 255; BBC Summary 4 Jan. 1990).
In the aftermath of the Temple Mount
massacre in October 1990, Hamas supporters launched knifing attacks
on Israelis, the most serious of which resulted in the deaths of 3
factory workers in Jaffa in December 1990 (Revolutionary and
Dissident Movements 1991, 255).
In 1991 three Hebron-based members of Hamas
were convicted of planting bombs and throwing molotov cocktails
(The Jerusalem Post 15 Mar. 1991). In June 1991 tensions
heightened between Hamas and the Fatah group, and Hamas supporters
reportedly carried out an attack on Fatah member Amar Masruji
(The Jerusalem Post 3 June 1991). Apparently Masruji was
shot and then stabbed while having his gunshot wounds operated on
(Ibid.). The tensions between the two groups were reportedly
caused by Fatah's support for talks with the U.S. regarding peace
in the Middle East (Ibid.).
In January 1992, to protest such peace
talks, Hamas called for attacks on Israeli police and settlers (AFP
8 Jan. 1992).
Qassam, officially the Martyr Sheikh Al
Ezz-Edin al Qassam military wing of Hamas, surfaced in January 1991
and reportedly killed an Israeli soldier in May 1992 (Reuters 14
Dec. 1992). Qassam also claimed responsibility for attacks in
December 1992 which resulted in the deaths of 5 Israeli soldiers
(Reuters 14 Dec. 1992; The Ottawa Citizen 18 Dec. 1992;
Reuters 13 Dec. 1992).
Qassam reportedly kidnapped Nissim
Toledano, a border guard, on 13 December 1992 and demanded the
release of Sheikh Yassin in return for the guard's release (The
Independent 14 Dec. 1992; Reuters 13 Dec. 1992; The Ottawa
Citizen 18 Dec. 1992), but Toledano's body was found on 15
December 1992 (The Ottawa Citizen 18 Dec. 1992).
In December, with the escalating violence
and the deportation of 417 suspected Hamas and Islamic Jihad
activists, Hamas and Fatah agreed to collaborate and called for
cooperation between the two groups in launching gang violence
against Israeli forces (The Washington Post 21 Dec.
1992)
The beginning of 1993 saw violence against
Israeli Defence Forces in Hebron, allegedly carried out by Qassam
members (BBC Summary 8 Jan. 1993). Qassam reportedly admitted to
killing army reservist Shmuel Geresh and it is also suspected of
responsibility for 5 other attacks on IDF targets in Hebron; these
attacks resulted in 2 soldiers being killed and 6 wounded
(Ibid.)
Israeli authorities suspect Hamas of being
responsible for the killing of Israeli intelligence agent Haim
Nahmani on 3 January 1993 (AFP 3 Jan. 1993 and 5 Jan. 1993).
The 30 January saw two more Israeli
soldiers killed in an ambush in the Gaza strip (BBC Summary 1 Feb.
1993). A message was reportedly left by Qassam claiming
responsibility for the killings (Ibid.).
The most recent available report of Hamas'
involvement in killings was published in the Jerusalem Post
in February 1993. The report claims that Hamas has been kidnapping
and murdering drug addicts and dealers for corrupting the morals of
society; apparently some addicts had become informants in order to
pay for their habits (22 Feb. 1993).
For more information on Hamas see Response
to Information Request ISR13278, which is available in your
regional documentation centre. Additional or corroborative
information on the above topic is currently unavailable to the
DIRB.
Agence France Presse (AFP). 5 January
1993. "Israelis Question Palestinians in Hunt for Undercover Agent
Killers." (NEXIS)
. 3 January 1993. "Hamas Militant Kills
Israeli Intelligence Agent: Minister." (NEXIS)
. 8 January 1992. "Two PLO Factions Call
for Attacks on Israeli Settlers, Soldiers." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 1
February 1993. "The Deportees and Related Issues; Two Israeli
Soldiers Killed in Gaza Strip Ambush." (NEXIS)
. 8 January 1993. "Israel; Members of
Hamas 'Hit Squads' Arrested in Hebron Area." (NEXIS)
. 4 January 1990. "Israel Hamas Leader
Charged with Conspiracy to Murder." (NEXIS)
Contemporary Mideast
Backgrounder. October 1988. No. 251. "The Covenant of the
Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)."
The Independent. 14 December
1992. Sarah Helm. "Israelis on Alert After Kidnap to Free Sheikh."
(NEXIS)
The Jerusalem Post. 22 February
1993. "Rabin Asked to Help Reopen Arab Drug Rehabilitation
Facility." (NEXIS)
. 3 June 1991. Jon Immanuel. "Hamas
Gunmen Shoot Fatah Activist in Nablus." (NEXIS)
. 15 March 1991. "3 Hamas Men
Sentenced." (NEXIS)
Jeune Afrique. 11-17 March 1993.
Marc Yared. "Hamas. Les islamistes des Territoires occupés
sont devenus, en quelques mois, l'ennemi numéro un
d'Isräel. Voici pourquoi."
The Middle East. February 1993.
Wendy Kristianasen. "Hamas Makes it to Centrestage."
Newsday. 25 January 1990. "Arab Killer
Sentenced." (NEXIS)
The Ottawa Citizen. 18 December
1992. Valley Edition. "Israel Ignores Protests, Deports Militant
Muslims." (NEXIS)
Policy Focus [Washington].
October 1988. No. 7. Robert Satloff. "Islam in the Palestinian
Uprising."
Reuters. 23 December 1992. BC Cycle.
"Arabs Kidnap Israeli, Demand Sheikh's Release." (NEXIS)
. 14 December 1992. BC Cycle. Taher
Shriteh. "Moslem Guerrillas are Israel's Deadliest Foes."
(NEXIS)
Revolutionary and Dissident
Movements: An International Guide. 1991. 3rd ed. London:
Longman Current Affairs.
The Washington Post. 21 December
1992. David Hoffman. "Palestinian Rivals Make Joint Appeal; Israeli
Expulsions Unite Hamas and Fatah in Call for Protests." (NEXIS)
Agence France Presse (AFP). 5 January
1993. "Israelis Question Palestinians in Hunt for Undercover Agent
Killers." (NEXIS)
. 3 January 1993. "Hamas Militant Kills
Israeli Intelligence Agent: Minister." (NEXIS)
. 8 January 1992. "Two PLO Factions Call
for Attacks on Israeli Settlers, Soldiers." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 1
February 1993. "The Deportees and Related Issues; Two Israeli
Soldiers Killed in Gaza Strip Ambush." (NEXIS)
. 8 January 1993. "Israel; Members of
Hamas 'Hit Squads' Arrested in Hebron Area." (NEXIS)
. 4 January 1990. "Israel Hamas Leader
Charged with Conspiracy to Murder." (NEXIS)
Contemporary Mideast
Backgrounder. October 1988. No. 251 "The Covenant of the
Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).", p. 7.
The Independent. 14 December
1992. Sarah Helm. "Israelis on Alert After Kidnap to Free Sheikh."
(NEXIS)
The Jerusalem Post. 22 February
1993. "Rabin Asked to Help Reopen Arab Drug Rehabilitation
Facility." (NEXIS)
. 3 June 1991. Jon Immanuel. "Hamas
Gunmen Shoot Fatah Activist in Nablus." (NEXIS)
. 15 March 1991. "3 Hamas Men
Sentenced." (NEXIS)
Jeune Afrique. 11-17 March 1993.
Marc Yared. "Hamas. Les islamistes des Territoires occupés
sont devenus, en quelques mois, l'ennemi numéro un
d'Isräel. Voici pourquoi.", pp. 12-16.
The Middle East. February 1993.
Wendy Kristianasen. "Hamas Makes it to Centrestage.", pp. 9-10.
Newsday. 25 January 1990. "Arab Killer
Sentenced." (NEXIS)
The Ottawa Citizen. 18 December
1992. Valley Edition. "Israel Ignores Protests, Deports Militant
Muslims." (NEXIS)
Policy Focus. October 1988. No.
7. Robert Satloff. "Islam in the Palestinian Uprising.", p. 10.
Reuters. 23 December 1992. BC Cycle.
"Arabs Kidnap Israeli, Demand Sheikh's Release." (NEXIS)
. 14 December 1992. BC Cycle. Taher
Shriteh. "Moslem Guerrillas are Israel's Deadliest Foes."
(NEXIS)
Revolutionary and Dissident
Movements: An International Guide. 1991. 3rd ed. London:
Longman Current Affairs, pp. 254-255.
The Washington Post. 21 December
1992. David Hoffman. "Palestinian Rivals Make Joint Appeal; Israeli
Expulsions Unite Hamas and Fatah in Call for Protests." (NEXIS)