COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF HAMAS: A STUDY OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AND MEMBER PROFILING

  • Anastasios-Nikolaos Kanellopoulos Department of Business Administration, Athens University of Economics and Business
Keywords: Hamas, Israel, Palestine, Counterterrorism Profiling

Abstract

Research  Paper

DOI: 10.37458/ssj.4.2.6 

Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization with significant global implications, holds a substantial political, military and societal presence in the Levant region. This research offers a comprehensive analysis of Hamas, delving into its historical evolution, ideological foundations and operational tactics, providing an intricate understanding of its role within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It traces Hamas's trajectory from its origins as a religious and social movement to its current status as a terrorist organization with a political dimension. Furthermore, this study dissects the organization's objectives and strategies, shedding light on its territorial aspirations, relationships with Israel, and other Palestinian factions and its position on the international stage.A pivotal focus of this analysis centers on the profiling of Hamas members, encompassing their diverse regional, socioeconomic, educational and cultural backgrounds. This emphasis highlights the nuanced factors driving their affiliation with the organization. Empirical research findings underscore the intricate motivations behind Hamas membership, encompassing religious fervor, socio-political discontent and external influences as pivotal factors. Additionally, the study explores the roles and activities of Hamas members, including their involvement in leadership, military operations, political engagement and social functions, each contributing to the multi-faceted nature of the organization.

References

CHEN, T. (2012). Exploration of the Hamas suicide attacks. Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (in Asia), 6(2), 106–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/19370679.2012.12023205

Hovdenak, A. (2009). Hamas in transition: The failure of sanctions. Democratization, 16(1), 59–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/13510340802575833

Tuastad, D. (2021). Hamas and the clans: From islamisation of tribalism to tribalization of Islamism? Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal, 6(1–3), 88–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/23802014.2022.2135759

Bhasin, T. and Hallward, M. C. (2013). Hamas as a political party: Democratization in the Palestinian Territories. Terrorism and Political Violence, 25(1), 75–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2013.733273

Dunning, T. (2015). Islam and resistance: Hamas, ideology and Islamic values in Palestine. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 8(2), 284–305. https://doi.org/10.1080/17539153.2015.1042304

Sen, S. (2015). Bringing back the Palestinian state: Hamas between government and resistance. Middle East Critique, 24(2), 211–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/19436149.2015.1017969

Kear, M. (2021). wasatiyyah and Hamas’s modulating positions on the two-state solution and Israel: Finding the Middle Path. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 76(1), 57–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357718.2021.1926421

Flamer, N. (2022). Hezbollah and Hamas’s main platforms for recruiting and handling of human sources after 2006. Middle Eastern Studies, 59(5), 842–854. https://doi.org/10.1080/00263206.2022.2126835

Schleifer, R. (2014). Propaganda, PSYOP, and Political Marketing: The Hamas campaign as a case in point. Journal of Political Marketing, 13(1–2), 152–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377857.2014.866413

Alsoos, I. (2021). From jihad to resistance: The evolution of Hamas’s discourse in the framework of Mobilization. Middle Eastern Studies, 57(5), 833–856. https://doi.org/10.1080/00263206.2021.1897006

Litvak, M. (1998). The islamization of the palestinian‐israeli conflict: The case of Hamas. Middle Eastern Studies, 34(1), 148–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/00263209808701214

Berti, B. (2015). Non-state actors as providers of governance: The Hamas government in Gaza between effective sovereignty, centralized authority, and resistance. The Middle East Journal, 69(1), 9–31. https://doi.org/10.3751/69.1.11

Abu-Amr, Z. (1993). Hamas: A historical and political background. Journal of Palestine Studies, 22(4), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.2307/2538077

Uslu, N. and Karatas, I. (2020). Evaluating Hamas’ struggle in Palestine. Insight Turkey, 109–124. https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2020221.08

Gevorgian, K. (2007). Inside Hamas: The untold story of militants, martyrs and spies. Iran and the Caucasus, 11(2), 338–339. https://doi.org/10.1163/157338407x265586

Tabansky, L. (2020). Israel Defense Forces and national cyber defense. Connections: The Quarterly Journal, 19(1), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.11610/connections.19.1.05

Van Dongen, T. (2010). Mapping counterterrorism: A categorisation of policies and the promise of empirically based, systematic comparisons. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 3(2), 227–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/17539150903306170

McGuirk, N. (2019). A framework to measure/assess the utility of profiling as a counterterrorism tool. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 15(2), 848–858. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paz056

Fiala, I. J. (2010). Anything new? the racial profiling of terrorists. Criminal Justice Studies, 16(1), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.1080/08884310309610

Kydd, A. H. (2011). Terrorism and profiling. Terrorism and Political Violence, 23(3), 458–473. https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2011.566476

McGuirk, N. (2021). Terrorist profiling and law enforcement: Detection, prevention, deterrence. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Dean, G. (2007). Criminal profiling in a terrorism context. Criminal Profiling, 169–188. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-146-2_8

Liu, X., Portney, K. E., Mumpower, J. L. and Vedlitz, A. (2018). Terrorism risk assessment, recollection bias, and public support for counterterrorism policy and spending. Risk Analysis, 39(3), 553–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.13203

Sandler, T. (2018). Role of terrorist groups. Terrorism. https://doi.org/10.1093/wentk/9780190845841.003.0003

Hussein, A. Q. (2021). The evolution of the military action of the izz al-din al-qassam brigades: How Hamas established its Army in Gaza. المركز العربي للأبحاث ودراسة السياسات. https://www.dohainstitute.org/en/ResearchAndStudies/Pages/The-Evolution-of-the-Military-Action-of-the-Izz-al-Din-al-Qassam-Brigades-How-Hamas-Established-its-Army-in-Gaza.aspx

Rabinowitz, D. (2010). The right to refuse: Abject theory and the return of Palestinian refugees. Critical Inquiry, 36(3), 494–516. https://doi.org/10.1086/653409

Shadid, M. K. (1988). The Muslim Brotherhood movement in the West Bank and Gaza. Third World Quarterly, 10(2), 658–682. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436598808420076

Koinova, M. (2021). Diaspora mobilization for Palestinian statehood. Diaspora Entrepreneurs and Contested States, 164–194. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198848622.003.0007

Averre, D. (2022). Russia and the Israel-Palestine conflict. Routledge Companion to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 449–459. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429027376-36

Wong, E., Mazzetti, M. and Nereim, V. (2023). U.S. continues push for Saudi-israel ties even as war with Hamas begins. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/08/us/politics/saudi-arabia-israel-palestinians-hamas.html

Tessler, M. A. (2009). A history of the Israeli-palestinian conflict. Indiana University Press.

U.S. Department of State. (2022). Targeting covert Hamas investment network and Hamas finance official - United States Department of State. U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/targeting-covert-hamas-investment-network-and-hamas-finance-official/

Published
2024-01-02