Hamas: The Social Welfare Activities Of Hamas

In its creation, Hamas declared its intentions to fight relentlessly for the liberation for the liberation of the national homeland within its Mandatory borders (Singh 2011, 47). This self-projection emphasised Hamas’ dedication to armed political action in defense of the Islamic national home.

Initially created as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood as a means to get involved in the armed resistance of the intifada, Hamas eventually was able to transform itself into a fully functional political organization. “[Hamas’s] revisionist stance combined with its military activity and appropriation of established social welfare activities enabled it to successfully overshadow its parent organization” (Singh 2011, 47). Hamas has emerged as a grassroots

The social welfare activities of Hamas rely on this interaction to gain support for its political aims. Muslims believe that all of Palestine is the holy land. The two state nation is not a legitimate solution to the Palestinian problem because that would be a complete loss for Islam. The Hamas charter makes this very clear: “For renouncing any part of Palestine means renouncing part of the religion” (Hamas Charter article 13). Through creating an Islamic state and educating the Palestinian people through their outreach programs Hamas is able to justify the injustice of the Israeli occupation with both nationalist and religious backing. It is argued that charities often focus on these ethno-national identities in their programs. “Often times charitable activity is characterized by an explicit focus on within group giving and activities that benefit others sharing a similar identity” (Flanigan **642). Hamas focuses its charity on the oppressed Palestinian people who are being stripped of their national and religious rights. Through providing relief, education and supplies they are able to demonstrate their concern and empathy for the people. It is the recognition that the civilians and Hamas are striving for the same outcomes which enables support for the political activities through charity

As a political entity Hamas’s two main challengers are Israel as an external actor and the Fatah-Led PLO as an internal challenger. Hamas’s position against these two challengers is as an activist Islamic organization that represents the Palestinian embodiment of political Islam (Roy 2011, 26). Hamas has been labeled by its leaders first and foremost as a political