Hamas Charter, Articles 1 and 2

An analysis of the Hamas Charter reveals an undeniable truth: that its mission is a religious war of Islam against the Jews.

The first two FirstOneThrough analyses reviewed the charter’s introductory statements. Now it will review the actual articles of the charter, two at a time.

Definition of the Movement

Ideological Starting-Points

Article One:

The Islamic Resistance Movement: The Movement’s programme is Islam. From it, it draws its ideas, ways of thinking and understanding of the universe, life and man. It resorts to it for judgement in all its conduct, and it is inspired by it for guidance of its steps.

The Islamic Resistance Movement’s Relation With the Moslem Brotherhood Group:

Article Two:

The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the wings of Moslem Brotherhood in Palestine. Moslem Brotherhood Movement is a universal organization which constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times. It is characterised by its deep understanding, accurate comprehension and its complete embrace of all Islamic concepts of all aspects of life, culture, creed, politics, economics, education, society, justice and judgement, the spreading of Islam, education, art, information, science of the occult and conversion to Islam.

While the introductory statement to the charter targets Jews as Hamas’s adversary, stating “they [the Jews] are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are found” and “our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious,” the first articles anchor the Hamas movement directly with Islam.

Abdel Aziz Al-Rantisi, (1947-2004) co-founder of Hamas

The Hamas program embraces all Islamic concepts, seeking to spread Islam and convert people to Islam. It is not a movement about self-determination, dignity, economic viability, land or peoplehood, but a devoutly religious movement which seeks to sweep through “Palestine” (which will be clearly defined as the entirety of the region throughout the charter) ridding the land of non-Muslims.

And the Palestinian Arabs elected Hamas to 58% of the parliament with this charter, the United Nations pushes for Hamas to be part of a unity government, and the media talks of “Islamic resistance” as a peaceful and natural endeavor.