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65-688: Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin ( Arabic : الشيخ أحمد إسماعيل حسن ياسين ; June 1936 – 22 March 2004) was a Palestinian politician and imam who founded Hamas in 1987. He also served as the first chairman of the Hamas Shura Council and de facto leader of Hamas since its inception from December 1987 until his assassination in March 2004. Yassin was born in Ashkelon , in Mandatory Palestine in 1929 or 1936. His family fled or were expelled during

130-553: A suicide attack against two Israeli buses in Beersheba . Hamas stated the attack was a revenge for the assassination of Rantisi and Yassin. Following the bombing, an estimated 20,000 Hamas supporters in Gaza took to Gaza's streets, celebrating the successful attack. The Israeli government said the targeted killing was in response to dozens of suicide attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended

195-407: A "cowardly operation". Iran called the assassination a "criminal act" and a threat to regional security. Jack Straw , then British Foreign Secretary, said: "All of us understand Israel's need to protect itself – and it is fully entitled to do that – against the terrorism which affects it, within international law. But it is not entitled to go in for this kind of unlawful killing and we condemn it. It

260-523: A "weapon development" centre in the university. The Islamic Charitable Society is a non-profit charitable organisation located in Hebron in the West Bank . The charity was founded in 1962 to take care of orphans and expanded through years. It is now responsible for two orphanages, three schools for boys and girls, dairy, sewing workshop, two bakeries, a large mall and a 30-apartment building. According to

325-541: A Jew takes my home and expels me from it, I will fight him. I don't fight other countries because I want to be at peace with them, I love all people and wish peace for them, even the Jews. The Jews lived with us all of our lives and we never assaulted them, and they held high positions in government and ministries. But if they take my home and make me a refugee like 4 million Palestinians in exile? Who has more right to this land? The Russian immigrant who left this land 2000 years ago or

390-464: A condemnation of "Hamas terrorist attacks". According to his statement to the UN Security Council, The killing of Sheikh Yassin has escalated tensions in Gaza and the greater Middle East, and sets back our effort to resume progress towards peace. However, events must be considered in their context and as we consider the killing of Sheikh Yassin, we must keep in mind the facts. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin

455-730: A continuation of the 'armed struggle' against Israel, and for an intensification of the terrorist campaign against its citizens. The successful operation against Yassin constitutes a significant blow to a central pillar of the Hamas terrorist organization, and a major setback to its terrorist infrastructure. Shaul Mofaz , the Israeli Defense Minister, branded Yassin "the Palestinian Bin Laden " and said, "If we have to balance how many more terrorists Yassin would have sent, how many terror attacks he would have approved, if we weigh this on

520-507: A homeland. We want our rights. We don't want more. We love peace, but they hate the peace, because people who take away the rights of others don't believe in peace. Why should we not fight? We have our right to defend ourselves. Yassin's views on the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis were ambiguous. He supported armed resistance against Israel and asserted that Palestine

585-495: A missile at him as he was being wheeled from Fajr prayer in Gaza City . The attack, which also killed both of his bodyguards and nine bystanders, was internationally condemned. His funeral procession was attended by 200,000 people in Gaza. Ahmed Yassin was born in al-Jura , a small village near the city of Ashkelon , in the Mandatory Palestine . His date of birth is not known for certain: according to his Palestinian passport, he

650-525: A national alert. The assassination of Yassin also led to the fact that Hamas, for the first time, was named as the most popular movement in Palestine by the residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip two weeks after the assassination. Abdel Aziz Rantisi was announced as the new head of Hamas. At a memorial service for Sheik Yassin, he declared that "The Israelis will not know security... We will fight them until

715-560: A noble title. In Somali society, it is reserved as an honorific for senior Muslim leaders and clerics ( wadaad ), and is often abbreviated to "Sh". Famous local sheikhs include Ishaaq bin Ahmed , an early Muslim scholar and Islamic preacher, Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti , an early Muslim leader in Somaliland ; Abadir Umar Ar-Rida , the patron saint of Harar ; Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti , Sheikh of

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780-452: A result of the assassination attempt. Yassin made no attempt to guard himself from further attempts on his life or hide his location. Journalists sometimes visited his Gaza address and Yassin maintained a routine daily pattern of activity, including being wheeled every morning to a nearby mosque. Reem Riyashi 's suicide bombing at the Erez crossing on 14 January 2004, which killed four civilians,

845-701: A right to defend itself from terror. Israel has the right to defend herself from terror. And as she does so, I hope she keeps consequences in mind as to how to make sure we stay on the path to peace. United States Representative to the United Nations John Negroponte stated that the United States was "deeply troubled by this action by the Government of Israel", while asserting that the U.S. would not support any U.N. Security Council statement condemning Israel's assassination of Yassin that did not include

910-456: A sports lesson with his school friends on the beach. Although Yassin applied to and attended Al-Azhar University in Cairo , he was unable to pursue his studies there due to his deteriorating health. He was forced to be educated at home where he read widely, particularly on philosophy and on religion, politics, sociology, and economics. His followers believe that his worldly knowledge made him "one of

975-483: A ten-year truce in exchange for total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza and a stop to Israeli attacks on civilians. In 1999, in an interview with an Egyptian newspaper, he again offered a truce: We have to be realistic. We are talking about a homeland that was stolen a long time ago in 1948 and again in 1967. My generation today is telling the Israelis, 'Let's solve this problem now, on

1040-607: A two-state solution in the Middle East. Sheikh In some countries, it is given as a surname to those of great knowledge in religious affairs, by a prestigious religious leader from a chain of Sufi scholars. The word is mentioned in the Qur'an in three places: verse 72 of Hud , 78 of Yusuf , and 23 of al-Qasas . A royal family member of the United Arab Emirates and some other Arab countries, also has this title, since

1105-414: Is an Islamic land "consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgment Day " and that no Arab leader had the right to give up any part of this territory. Concerning that territorial conflict, Yassin's rhetoric did not distinguish between Israelis and Jews, at one point stating that "reconciliation with the Jews is a crime." However, he regarded as his religious cousins, and stating his conflict with them

1170-702: Is commonly used for women of ruling families in the Arab states of the Arabian Peninsula. Mujama al-Islamiya The Mujama' al-Islami ("Islamic Centre") is an Islamic charity founded in 1973 in Gaza by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , who had been involved with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Palestinian branch. Mujama started to offer clinics, blood banks, day care, medical treatment, meals and youth clubs. Mujama plays an important role for providing social care to

1235-562: Is purely over land he deemed stolen territory. Yassin's rhetoric was often scrutinized in the news media. On one occasion, he opined that Israel "must disappear from the map." Yassin's declaration that "We chose this road, and will end with martyrdom or victory" later became a repeated mantra among Palestinians. Yassin on several occasions proposed long-term ceasefire agreements, or truces, so called Hudnas , in exchange for Israeli concessions. All such offers were rejected by Israel. Following his release from Israeli prison in 1997, he proposed

1300-615: Is targeting Palestinian civilians, so Israeli civilians should be targeted. From now on, all Israeli people are targets." "We got Israel's message. They should now expect the answer." In an interview, likely recorded in the 1990s, Ahmed Yassin stated his view on Jews: "We don't hate Jews and fight Jews because they are Jewish. They are a people of faith and we are a people of faith, and we love all people of faith. If my brother, from my own mother and father and my own faith takes my homes and expels me from it, I will fight him. I will fight my cousin if he takes my home and expels me from it. So when

1365-473: Is unacceptable, it is unjustified and it is very unlikely to achieve its objectives." The European Union's foreign policy head Javier Solana expressed concern that it might impede the peace process. In response to a question about the killing, U.S. President George W. Bush responded: As far as the Middle East, it's a troubled region, and the attacks were troubling. There needs to be a focused, concerted effort by all parties to fight terror. Any country has

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1430-563: Is used instead. The title is also used to refer to religious leaders for both Sunni and Shia Muslims. For example, the Saudi Arabian family Al ash-Sheikh (literally House of the Sheikh ) is named after the religious leader and eponymous founder of Wahhabism , Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab . In Mount Lebanon, the title had the same princely and royal connotation as in the Arabian peninsula until

1495-419: The 1948 Palestine War to Gaza City . Yassin, a quadriplegic who was nearly blind , had been reliant on a wheelchair due to a sporting accident at the age of 12. After its founding, he served as the spiritual leader of Hamas , a Sunni Islamist group. The Israeli government held him responsible for the killing of several Israeli civilians. In 2004, he was killed when an Israeli helicopter gunship fired

1560-639: The African Union . A draft resolution condemning the extrajudicial execution of Yassin and six other Palestinians, as well as all terrorist attacks against civilians was brought before the United Nations Security Council and vetoed by the United States, with United Kingdom, Germany, and Romania abstaining. The United States explained that the draft resolution should have condemned Hamas explicitly following its sponsored suicide bombings in Ashdod

1625-561: The Bani Yas tribe, and by Kuwait 's Al Sabah dynasty and Bahrain 's Al Khalifa dynasty of the Bani Utbah tribal confederation. The term is used by almost every male and female (Sheikha) member of the royal houses of the UAE , Bahrain , Qatar , and Kuwait . The title is not used by members of Al Saud of Saudi Arabia , where the title "Prince" ( Arabic : أمير , romanized :  ʾAmīr )

1690-732: The First Intifada , Yassin and six other Mujama Islamist members launched Hamas , originally calling it the "paramilitary wing" of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, and Yassin became its spiritual leader. He also claimed responsibility for a number of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians, and Hamas was designated a terrorist organization . By that time, Mujama controlled an estimated 40% of mosques in Gaza. Mujama's institutions would become crucial to Hamas's terrorist activities. They were and continue to provide cover for raising, laundering and transferring funds, facilitate

1755-608: The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca who influenced many of the prominent Islamic scholars of today. In the cosmopolitan hub of the South Asian sub-continent, it is not just an ethnic title but also often an occupational title attributed to Muslim trading families. After the advent of Islam in South Asia , many Hindu-Buddhists clans from different castes converted to Islam and adopted the title. In

1820-592: The Muslim Brotherhood . In 1973, the Islamic charity Mujama al-Islamiya was established in Gaza by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and the organization was recognized by Israel in 1979. In 1984 he and others were jailed for secretly stockpiling weapons, but in 1985 he was released as part of the Jibril Agreement . In 1987, during the First Intifada , Yassin co-founded Hamas with Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi , originally calling it

1885-798: The Ottoman invasion in 1516, since it represented an indigenous autonomous " sui iuris " ruler or tribal chief. Examples of some ancient families that hold the title of "sui iuris" sheikh is the Al-Chemor family, ruling since 1211 CE in Koura and Zgharta until 1747 CE and the Boudib family (descendants of the Hashemite family) who were Ehdenian rulers of Jebbeh since 1471 CE until 1759 CE. The descendants of this sovereign family now live in Miziara , Mexico and Nigeria. Even

1950-628: The Punjab region , Ismaili Pirs gave some converts, as well as Muslims who emigrated from Central Asia , especially after the barbaric Mongol conquests , the hereditary title of Ismaili Shaikhs . In Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia , sheikhs are respected by local Muslims. In Indonesia , the term is usually spelled "syech", and this is usually attributed to elderly ulama . Higher knowledgeable people of Islamic studies in Indonesia are usually referred to as " ustad " or " kyai ". From

2015-633: The Qadiriyya order, and Sheikh Ahmad al-Tijani , who initiated the Tijaniyyah Sufi order. In the Arabian Peninsula , the title is used for chiefs of tribes . This also includes royalty in most of Eastern Arabia , where the royal families were traditionally considered tribal chiefs. For example, it is used by the UAE Al-Nahyan dynasty and Al Maktoum dynasty , who are considered the chiefs of

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2080-648: The empire . Some very influential Maronite families, who had the title bestowed upon them, are (in chronological order): the El Hachem of Akoura (descendants of the Hashemite family, since 1523), the El-Khazen (since 1545), the Hubaysh of Kisrawan and the Douaihy of Zgharta . Other families who are nowadays addressed or known as "sheikhs" were not traditionally rulers of provinces, but instead they were high-ranking officials at

2145-666: The riwaq in Cairo who recorded the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt ; Abd Al-Rahman bin Ahmad al-Zayla'i , scholar who played a crucial role in the spread of the Qadiriyyah movement in Somalia and East Africa; Sheikh Sufi , 19th century scholar, poet, reformist and astrologist; Abdallah al-Qutbi , polemicist, theologian and philosopher best known for his five-part Al-Majmu'at al-mubaraka ("The Blessed Collection"); and Muhammad Al-Sumaalee, teacher in

2210-543: The "paramilitary wing" of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, and becoming its spiritual leader. In 1989, Yassin was arrested by Israel and sentenced to life imprisonment for ordering killings of alleged Palestinian collaborators. In 1997, Yassin was released from Israeli prison as part of an arrangement with Jordan following a failed assassination attempt of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal by the Israeli Mossad in Jordan. Yassin

2275-413: The 10th-century Shaykhah Fakhr-un-Nisa Shuhdah and 18th-century scholar Al-Shaykha Fatima al-Fudayliyya . In 1957, Indonesian education activist Rahmah el Yunusiyah was awarded the title of syeikah by the faculty of Al-Azhar University , the first time the university had granted the title to a woman. A daughter, wife or mother of a sheikh is also called a shaykhah . Currently, the term shaykhah

2340-560: The 2003 Aqaba summit . His group initially declared a temporary truce with Israel. However, in July 2003, the truce unravelled after a Hamas suicide bombing of a Jerusalem bus killed 21 people the previous month. Israeli forces killed two Hamas members in retaliation. On 6 September 2003, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-16 fired several missiles on a building in Gaza City in the Gaza Strip . Yassin

2405-700: The Abu Harmoush family heads, which ruled the Chouf region until the Battle of Ain Dara in 1711 CE, were "sui iuris" sheikhs. After the Ottoman rule and the implementation of the Iltizam system, the title gained a noble instead of royal connotation, since it was bestowed by a higher authority; in this case the Ottoman appointed Emir , who was nothing more than a mültezim or tax collector for

2470-524: The United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon characterized Yassin as the "mastermind of Palestinian terror" and a "mass murderer". The Israeli government repeatedly asserted that Yassin was responsible for a number of terrorist attacks, which targeted and killed civilians. In 1997, Yassin proposed a halt of attacks on Israel, if Israel withdrew from

2535-435: The West Bank and Gaza. In his statement Yassin declared that Hamas did target Israeli civilians, but only in direct retaliation for the death of Palestinian civilians. In his thinking this was a necessary tactic to "show the Israelis they could not get away without a price for killing our people." In June 2003, after visiting al-Rantisi in hospital after a failed Israeli missile attack against him, Yassin told reporters: "Israel

2600-576: The assassination as a "crime"; Lebanon's president Emile Lahud vehemently denounced the Israeli act as "...a crime [which] will not succeed in liquidating the Palestinian cause"; Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said: "Violence will increase now because violence always breeds violence"; the head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Mohammed Akef , described Yassin as a "martyr" and his assassination

2665-519: The assassination of Yassin: Yassin was the dominant authority of the Hamas leadership, which was directly involved in planning, orchestrating and launching terror attacks carried out by the organization. In this capacity, Yassin personally gave his approval for the launching of Qassam rockets against Israeli cities, as well as for the numerous Hamas terrorist bombings and suicide operations. In his public appearances and interviews, Yassin called repeatedly for

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2730-489: The basis of the 1967 borders. Let's end this conflict by declaring a temporary ceasefire. Let's leave the bigger issue for future generations to decide.' The Palestinians will decide in the future about the nature of relations with Israel, but it must be a democratic decision. It was shortly after once such truce offer, in January 2004, that Yassin was assassinated. Yassin was killed in an Israeli attack on 22 March 2004. While he

2795-615: The best speakers in the Gaza Strip". During this time, he began delivering weekly sermons after Friday prayers , drawing large crowds of people. After years of unemployment, he got a post as an Arabic language teacher at an elementary school in Rimal , Gaza. Headmaster Mohammad al-Shawa initially had reservations about Yassin, concerning the reception he would receive from the pupils due to his disability. However, according to al-Shawa, Yassin handled them well and his popularity grew, especially among

2860-577: The condition of his release. He also sought to maintain relations with the Palestinian Authority , believing that a clash between the two groups would be harmful to the interests of the Palestinian people . Yassin was intermittently placed under house arrest by the Authority. Each time he was eventually released, often after extended demonstrations by his supporters. Yassin criticized the outcome of

2925-509: The group's propaganda and recruitment efforts, provide employment for its operatives, and serve as a logistical support network. In February 2007, Fatah militia stormed the Islamic University in Gaza and confiscated weapons and ammunition that were stored there. Palestinian television aired footage showing dozens of rocket-propelled grenade launchers, rockets, and assault rifles, as well as thousands of bullets which had been found inside

2990-443: The late 1970s and 1980s, al-Mujama' al-Islami are reported to have coerced urban educated women in Gaza to wear Islamic dress or hijab . In 1984, the Israeli military had infiltrated a suspected mosque and found a cache of weapons. Sheikh Yassin and others were jailed for secretly stockpiling weapons, but he was released in 1985 as part of the Jibril Agreement . He continued to expand Mujama's reach across Gaza. In 1987, during

3055-472: The liberation of Palestine, the whole of Palestine." Publicly addressing the "military wing" of Hamas, Rantisi suggested, "The door is open for you to strike all places, all the time and using all means." Rantisi was himself killed by Israel on 17 April 2004 in an assassination almost identical to that of Yassin. He was killed by three rockets fired from a gunship by the Israeli military. On 31 August 2004, at least 15 Israeli people were killed and 80 injured in

3120-418: The more scholarly children. His teaching methods reportedly provoked mixed reactions among parents because he encouraged his students to attend the mosque an additional two times a week. Having a regular job gave Yassin financial stability, and he married one of his relatives Halima Yassin in 1960 at the age of 22. The couple had eleven children. Yassin was actively involved in setting up a Palestinian branch of

3185-413: The one who left 40 years ago? We don't hate the Jews, we only ask for them to give us our rights." In a 1997 speech, Yassin said: I want to proclaim loudly to the world that we are not fighting Jews because they are Jews! We are fighting them because they assaulted us, they killed us, they took our land, our homes, our children, our women, they scattered us, we became scattered everywhere, a people without

3250-603: The operation, including two of Yassin's sons. Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi , Yassin's deputy, became the Hamas leader after his assassination, but was also killed shortly thereafter. Kofi Annan , UN Secretary General , condemned the killing. The UN Commission on Human Rights passed a resolution condemning the killing supported by votes from 31 countries including the People's Republic of China , India , Indonesia , Russia , and South Africa , with 2 votes against and 18 abstentions. The Arab League council also expressed condemnation, as did

3315-575: The people, particularly those living in refugee camps. It also extended financial aid and scholarships to young people who wanted to study in Saudi Arabia and the West. Al-Mujama' al-Islami was recognized by Israel in 1979 as a charity, allowing the organization to set up the Islamic University in Gaza (IUG) and build mosques , clubs, schools, and a library in Gaza, besides other social services. In

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3380-531: The perspective of Iran, the word or title of sheikh possesses diverse meanings, among individuals who are aged and wise, it has been an honorific title used for elders and learned scholars, such as: Sheikh al-Rayees Abu Ali Sina , Sheikh Mufid , Sheikh Morteza Ansari . In the past, Islamic scholars who were the Muhammad's descendants, were called Sayyid / Seyyed instead of sheikh. Historically, female scholars in Islam were referred to as shaykhah (Arabic: شيخة ) (alt. shaykhat ). Notable shaykha include

3445-456: The ruler of each emirate is also the sheikh of their tribe. The word in Arabic stems from a triliteral root connected with aging: ش-ي-خ , shīn-yā'-khā' . The title carries the meaning leader, elder , or noble , especially in the Arabian Peninsula within the Tribes of Arabia , where Shaikh became a traditional title of a Bedouin tribal leader in recent centuries. Due to the cultural impact of Arab civilization, and especially through

3510-457: The scales, we acted rightly". Avraham Poraz , Israel's Interior Minister and member of the centrist Shinui Party, said he believed the assassination of Yassin "was a bad idea because I am afraid of a revenge coming from the Palestinian side, from the Hamas side." Shimon Peres , then leader of the Labour opposition, was critical of the assassination, suggesting that it "could lead to an escalation of terror". King Abdullah II of Jordan described

3575-411: The service of the Emir at that time. In the Maghreb , during the Almohad dynasty, the caliph was also counseled by a body of sheikhs. They represented all the different tribes under their rules, including Arabs , ( Bedouins ), Andalusians and Berbers and were also responsible for mobilizing their kinsmen in the event of war. In the Muslim parts of the Horn of Africa , "shaikh" is often used as

3640-525: The spread of Islam, the word has gained currency as a religious term or general honorific in many other parts of the world as well, notably in Muslim cultures in Africa and Asia . In Sufism ( tasawwuf ), the word shaikh is used to represent a spiritual guide who initiates a particular order ( tariqa ) which leads to Muhammad , although many saints have this title added before their names out of respect from their followers. A couple of prominent examples are Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani , who initiated

3705-450: The university. In December 2008, the university was bombed in six air strikes by the Israeli Air Force during the 2008 Gaza War , claiming that university facilities were being used by Hamas to develop and store weapons including Qassam rockets used to target Israeli civilians. Hamas denied the Israeli allegation. The university was again targeted by air strikes during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict . The Israeli army said it targeted

3770-428: The week before. The Palestinian Authority declared three days of mourning and closed Palestinian schools. Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh suggested, "This is the moment Sheikh Yassin dreamed about". The Hamas leadership said Ariel Sharon had "opened the gates of hell". Hamas called for retaliation against Israel. About 200,000 people took to the streets of the Gaza Strip for Yassin's funeral as Israeli forces declared

3835-502: Was ethnically cleansed by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . Yassin came to Gaza as a refugee . When he was 16, he sustained a severe spinal injury while wrestling his friend Abdullah al-Khatib. His neck was kept in plaster for 45 days. The damage to his spinal cord rendered him a quadraplegic for the rest of his life. Fearing a rift between his family and al-Khatib's, Yassin initially told his family that he sustained his injuries while playing leapfrog during

3900-549: Was being wheeled out of an early morning prayer session in Gaza City , an Israeli AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship fired Hellfire missiles at Yassin and both of his bodyguards. Before the attack, Israeli F-16 jets flew overhead to obscure the noise of the approaching helicopters. Yassin always used the same direction every morning to go to the same mosque in the Sabra district that is 100 m (330 ft) from his home. Yassin and his bodyguards were killed instantly, along with nine bystanders. Another 12 people were injured in

3965-467: Was believed by the Israeli military to have been directly ordered by Yassin. Yassin suggested that the suicide bomber was fulfilling her "obligation" to make jihad , and Israel's Deputy Defence Minister responded by publicly declaring that Yassin was "marked for death". Yassin denied any involvement in the attack. Yassin was a founder and leader of Hamas, which is regarded as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Paraguay, New Zealand,

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4030-475: Was born on 1 January 1929, but he claimed to have actually been born in the summer of 1936. His father, Abdullah Yassin, died when he was three years old. Afterward, he became known in his neighborhood as Ahmad Sa'ada after his mother Sa'ada al-Habeel. This was to differentiate him from the children of his father's other three wives. Together, Yassin had four brothers and two sisters. He and his entire family fled to Gaza , settling in al-Shati Camp after his village

4095-539: Was in the building at the time but survived. Israeli officials later confirmed that Yassin was the target of the attack. His injuries were treated at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Yassin responded to the media that "Days will prove that the assassination policy will not finish the Hamas. Hamas leaders wish to be martyrs and are not scared of death. Jihad will continue and the resistance will continue until we have victory, or we will be martyrs." Yassin further promised that Hamas would teach Israel an "unforgettable lesson" as

4160-572: Was released in exchange for two Mossad agents who had been arrested by Jordanian authorities, on the condition that he refrained from continuing to call for suicide bombings against Israel. The New York Times reported about his poor health at the time: "Sheik Ahmad Yassin, spiritual leader of Hamas, back home in Gaza after his release by Israel, is so frail he drinks only with help." Following his release, Yassin resumed his leadership of Hamas. He immediately repeated his calls for attacks on Israel, using tactics including suicide bombings, thus violating

4225-400: Was the leader of a terrorist organization, one which has proudly taken credit for indiscriminate attacks against civilians, including most recently an attack last week in the Port of Ashdod , which left 10 Israelis dead. He preached hatred, and glorified suicide bombings of buses, restaurants, and cafes. Yassin was opposed to the existence of the State of Israel, and actively sought to undermine

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