ISLAMIC GROUP, HAMAS, OUTLAWED

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 14032

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL MOPS KPAL
SUBJECT: ISLAMIC GROUP, HAMAS, OUTLAWED


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.


2. ON SEPTEMBER 28, THE ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTRY
ANNOUNCED THAT THE PALESTINIAN (SUNNI) MUSLIM
FUNDAMENTALIST ORGANIZATION, HAMAS, HAD BEEN
OUTLAWED. ACCORDING TO THE IDF ANNOUNCEMENT, MEMBERS
OF HAMAS, OR THOSE WHO SUPPORTED OR PARTICIPATED IN
ITS ACTIVITIES WOULD BE SUBJECT TO DETENTION AND
PROSECUTION.


3. THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF HAMAS, SHEIKH AHMED
YASSIN, HAS BEEN IN ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION FOR A
NUMBER OF MONTHS. HAMAS EMERGED AFTER THE OUTBREAK
OF THE PALESTINIAN UPRISING. ALTHOUGH IT EMERGED FROM
THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, ITS AIMS INCLUDE A MUSLIM
PALESTINIAN STATE AND IT PROMOTES VIOLENCE AS A MEANS
OF ACHIEVING THIS OBJECTIVE AND OF "PURIFYING" MUSLIM
SOCIETY. HAMAS IS STRONGEST IN GAZA BUT ITS
INFLUENCE HAS SPREAD TO THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK.


4. ACCORDING TO MOSHE DAYAN, DEPUTY TO GOI CIVAD
COORDINATOR SHMUEL GOREN, AND CIVAD ANALYSTS, HAMAS
HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY IN STRENGTH IN GAZA IN RECENT
MONTHS. IT HAS INCREASINGLY TARGETED SO-CALLED
COLLABORATORS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ENGAGE IN
ACTIVITIES DEFINED BY THE ORGANIZATION AS
ANTI-ISLAMIC. ACCORDING TO THE IDF, HAMAS IS ALSO
STRENGTHENING ITS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND
REMAINS HARDER TO PENETRATE THAN OTHER PALESTINIAN
ORGANIZATIONS. IDF ANALYSTS HAVE ALSO ASSERTED THAT
HAMAS HAS BECOME A MAJOR INFLUENCE IN GAZA AND,
BECAUSE OF ITS WILLINGNESS TO USE VIOLENCE TO
INTIMIDATE OTHER PALESTINIANS, MAY HAVE BECOME THE
DOMINANT FORCE THERE.


5. COMMENT: EARLIER IN THE UPRISING, SOME ISRAELI
OCCUPATION OFFICIALS INDICATED THAT HAMAS SERVED AS A
USEFUL COUNTER TO THE SECULAR ORGANIZATIONS LOYAL TO
THE PLO. A NUMBER OF PALESTINIANS LOYAL TO THE PLO
ALLEGED THAT THE IDF WAS USING HAMAS FOR SUCH A
PURPOSE. OUTLAWING THE ORGANIZATION INKCATES THAT
THE IDF NO LONGER SEES -- IF IT EVER DID -- UTILITY
IN ALLOWING HAMAS TO OPERATE. THE ISRAELIS MAY HAVE
BEEN PARTICULARLY TROUBLED OVER THE DIFFICULTY OF
PENETRATING THE ORGANIZATION. AS HAMAS HAS DIRECTED
MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST ALLEGED COLLABORATORS, IT IS
LIKELY THAT THE OCCUPATION AUTHORITIES DECIDED ACTION
WAS NEEDED TO DISCOURAGE ITS FURTHER GROWTH.


6. COMMENT CONTINUED: WHILE A NUMBER OF OUR
PALESTINIAN INTERLOCUTORS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HAMAS HAS
GROWN IN STRENGTH, PARTICULARLY IN GAZA, WE DO NOT
BELIEVE THAT IT CLAIMS THE ALLEGIANCE OF A LARGE
SEGMENT OF THE PALESTINIAN POPULATION. WE SUSPECT IT
REMAINS LESS INFLUENTIAL IN THE WEST BANK.
NONETHELESS, THE CHRONIC NATURE OF THE UPRISING
COUPLED WITH STRINGENT ISRAELI SECURITY MEASURES,
HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO GREATER VIOLENCE WITHIN THE
PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN GAZA. IN
ADDITION, ISRAELI DETENTION/EXPULSION OF MANY
PALESTINIAN SECULAR NATIONALISTS HAS LEFT THE STREETS
OPEN TO YOUNG TOUGHS WHO FIND IT ATTRACTIVE TO CLAIM
RELIGIOUS, AS WELL AS NATIONALISTIC MOTIVES TO
JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS. END COMMENT


BROWN