Hamas, the “Forbidden Fruit”

The Islamic patriotic organization Hamas of Palestine is a paradox for the West. Under particularly difficult and adverse conditions for the Palestinians the Islamic Resistance Movement, as is the full name of the acronym (H.A.M.A.S.: Haraqa Al-Muqawama Al-Islamiyya) of the organization, since its foundation in 1987 until today has evolved by far into the main force of Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, surpassing in operational acuity and effectiveness even the ethnocentric and secularized resistance of the Palestinians under Yasser Arafat.

Largely because of Israel’s suffocating occupation and security environment and the extremely limited capabilities of the Palestinian resistance in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, Hamas carried out attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, including suicide bombings and indiscriminate rocket attacks. These actions led Israel, and US and human rights groups to accuse Hamas of war crimes. In this context, countries such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Paraguay, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States as well as the European Union have designated Hamas a terrorist organization. However, in 2018, a motion at the United Nations to condemn Hamas was rejected.

The reasons for the paradox of Hamas are specific: a) It maintains intact its Islamic ideological base and composition, b) it has combined to a degree unprecedented in Islamic history the Sunni version of Islam with deep structural cooperation, ideological support and inspiration from forces close to the Shiite Islam, c) the members of the organization from the leadership to the base have a metaphysical ideological constitution and perception of reality, an element that makes the organization resistant to difficulties and operationally tough and skillful. d) as a result, its leadership and its administrative body did not succumb to the long-term efforts of funding and vilification by its opponents, f) although it started as a small organization in terms of the number of fighters and material infrastructure, gradually, despite the excessive adversities, evolved into a state entity with a regular army in the 17-year Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip, g) the organizational evolution of Hamas is continuous and incredibly fast enough to surprise Israel with Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (7.10 .2023) and its ten-month war against Israel, an unprecedented element for the Palestinian resistance in the history of the Palestinian Issue.

Although the above characteristics of Hamas are time-tested, they were not initially perceived by its opponents. The strangeness of Hamas initially prompted Israel and the US to demonize it as a terrorist organization. However, the success of Hamas in the Palestinian elections in 2006, its dominance in the Gaza Strip during the civil war that followed, its evolution into a political force of resistant and governance of the Gaza Strip suffocated by Israel for 17 years and above all its military development organizationally, equipment-wise, and in terms of above-ground and underground infrastructure, they have brought about the surprise, respect and to a large extent the unacknowledged, even, awe of Israelis and Americans for Hamas.

Only as a result of respect and awe can be interpreted the statements of the American general David Petraeus about the operational skill of Hamas in the attack of October 7. The same applies to the admission of Israeli officials such as Avi Ayalon and Daniel Hagari that “Hamas is an idea that cannot be defeated by weapons.”

These statements clearly express the change in the image of Hamas in the ranks of the leadership of Israel and the USA. The October 7 attack and Hamas’ now ten-month war with the materially superior Israeli military has had a catalytic effect on how Israelis deal with Hamas. They have realized that Hamas is no longer the terrorist organization it was thirty years ago. It is an idea based on Islam and Palestinian patriotism, an idea so strong that it holds fighters and civilians together under the most adverse conditions. It’s an idea that renders even the most sophisticated weapons useless and makes the Palestinians’ opponents, even Netanyahu himself, question the feasibility of continuing this war.

But as the war is not over and the shift in the balance of power in favor of the Palestinians has not yet crystallized, Hamas will continue to be the demonized adversary reminding Israelis of their weaknesses and insecurities. It will continue to be a taboo psychological force that does not allow even direct talks with it for peace. Even after the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, Hamas will continue to be the “forbidden fruit.”