Ken Stein
August 6, 2014
Just as al-Qaeda seeks the total destruction of western democracies, Hamas seeks Israel’s total demise. Since its inception in 1988, Hamas has been crystal clear about its opposition to Zionism and Israel. It opposes any kind of negotiations or agreements that recognize Israel’s reality. Its more extreme spokesmen offer incendiary remarks about Jews. Over time, key leaders have been crystal clear that neither they nor Hamas will disarm nor give up militant action. They believe that all of the land west of the Jordan River belongs to them. Hamas does not equivocate in its outlook about its vision for tomorrow; all of its horizons require Israel’s destruction. Hamas seeks support from virtually any external source that will provide it diplomatic support, arms, training, and funding. The third of these collection of comments, like the previous two is remarkable for the consistency in views expressed by Hamas leaders who remain true to the contents stipulated in Hamas’s August 1988 Charter.