The McGowan Davis/Schabas Inquiry: The UN Legal Pogrom

Hamas and the United Nations

Hamas takeover of Gaza

Hamas rises to power


For almost three decades, Hamas has used mass murder as its chosen method of pursuing its objectives. In the mid-1990s, it began to use suicide bombings against Israeli civilians on buses, in markets, and in other public spaces. Hundreds of Israelis have been killed, and thousands more wounded, in such attacks. Hamas terrorism contributed to the collapse of the peace process in 2000, and expanded dramatically during the ensuing so-called second Palestinian intifada. In 2001, Hamas began launching rockets and mortars from the Gaza Strip targeting Israeli civilians. It continued to do so for more than seven years, and prior to the Gaza war of 2008-2009 launched thousands of missiles that killed and wounded dozens of Israelis, and forced more than half a million people into shelters, making normal daily life in southern Israel impossible.

Following Israel's departure or "disengagement" from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Hamas continued to shell Israeli towns and to carry out other terror attacks. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections. Instead of moderating its ideology, as predicted by many Western observers, Hamas used its new power to expand its terror operations and to attack its domestic political opponents in the minority Fatah party, which still held the executive branch of Palestinian government. It refused to adhere to international demands that it cease terror and recognize past Palestinian agreements with Israel. Gaza became politically and economically isolated as a result.

In 2006, Hamas launched another unprovoked attack on Israeli soil and kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He was held in inhuman conditions in flagrant violation of international law for five years, until he was finally released in a prisoner exchange. (Among those released were 450 male prisoners and 27 female prisoners, including 280 inmates serving life sentences. They included Nasir Sami Abd al-Razzaq Ali al-Nasser–Yataima, who planned the 2002 bombing of the Passover Seder at Park Hotel in Netanyah where 30 people were killed, and Fadi Muhammad Ibrahim al-Jaaba who was involved in planning the 2003 suicide bombing on a Haifa bus that killed 17 people.)

In May 2007 Hamas launched a coup against the Fatah executive in Gaza. In the process, Hamas killed dozens of Palestinian civilians and brutally executed its opponents, throwing them from tall buildings on several occasions. Following its seizure of complete power over Gaza, Hamas accelerated its terror campaign against Israel and continued to carry out human rights abuses against Palestinian civilians.

During the Gaza War of 2008-2009, Hamas used Palestinian civilians as human shields, a war crime under international humanitarian law. It hid soldiers and weapons in crowded civilian areas, launching rockets from those areas at civilian targets in Israel. Though its military capacity was severely weakened in this war, it continued to smuggle weapons into Gaza. Hamas leaders were based in Syria and the organization had a strategic alliance with Iran which provided the terrorist organization with weapons, money and training. Subsequently, there was a falling out with Iran over the latter's support for Syrian President Assad (now being patched up) and in 2012 Hamas leaders relocated to Qatar. Qatar is the main diplomatic and financial backer of Hamas.

Hamas, which continues to indoctrinate Palestinian children to hate Jews and to believe in jihad as a way of life, has created a terrorist state in Gaza committed to war and genocide.

On April 23, 2014 Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, and Palestine Liberation Organization officials led by Mahmoud Abbas, agreed to form "a unity government."

Hamas Wants War: The Kidnapping and Murder of Three Israeli Teens June 12, 2014


On the night of June 12, 2014 three teenage Israeli students Eyal Yifrach (19), Gilad Shaar (16), and Naftali Frenkel (16) were abducted and subsequently murdered by terrorists while they were on their way home from school. Though Israel identified Hamas as responsible and early on named the two Hamas members who specifically carried out the abduction and murder, the UN refused to acknowledge Hamas responsibility.

On June 26, 2014 Israel announced the identities of the two key suspects: Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisheh - both Hamas operatives. Qawasmeh had previously admitted to having been recruited to the Hamas military wing in the Hebron area. He was involved in military training in caves in the Hebron area, was active in obtaining raw materials for the production of explosives and assisted the organization in recruiting additional youths for Hamas activities. For these actions, he was imprisoned. He was released in March 2012. Abu Aisheh had been repeatedly investigated and arrested for engaging in terrorist activities.

The bodies of the three kidnapped teens were found on June 30, 2014 buried on land purchased by Marwan Qawasmeh's family just north of Hebron, a 10-15-minute drive from where they were abducted.

On July 14, 2014 Arafat Qawasmeh was arrested for assisting in the kidnapping.

On August 20, 2014, three months after the teens were abducted, Hamas claimed responsibility for their abduction and murder. A senior Hamas official made the announcement, commending the "heroic action of the Kassam Brigades [the organization's armed wing] who kidnapped three settlers in Hebron".

On September 4, 2014, Marwan Qawasmeh's uncle, Hussam Qawasmeh, was indicted for the abduction and murder of the three Israeli teens after being identified as the mastermind and commander of the abduction operation. The same day that he was indicted, documents released by the Israeli government showed that not only was Qawasmeh a member of a local Hamas chapter, but that he had received $60,000 to carry out the attack through a relative who worked for Hamas. This $60,000 was sent in five installments by Hussam's brother Mahmoud Qawasmeh.

Palestinian security officials announced on September 10, 2014 that they had identified the man responsible for "pulling the trigger" by ordering the abduction of the three Israeli teens. Abed a-Rahman Ghaminat was a Hamas operative who had previously been incarcerated in Israel for his involvement in the killing of IDF soldier Sharon Edri. He was released in 2011 during the prisoner-swap in which Israel secured the release of Gilad Shalit. Ghaminat was the Hamas military commander in charge of the Hebron area and worked closely with Hussam Qawasmeh to carry out the attack.

On September 23, 2014 the IDF attempted to arrest two remaining suspects, Marwan Qawasmeh and Amar Abu Aisha, in a two-story structure in Hebron owned by the Qawasmeh family where they had been hiding for a week. The two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire. In addition, Bashar Qawasmeh, Muhammad Qawasmeh and Taar Qawasmeh, the sons of Arafat Qawasmeh, were arrested on suspicion of assisting the kidnappers and murderers to avoid detection.