I am heartily sick of the misrepresentation of Hamas by the mass media. Every individual and organisation should be heard for what they are, and their views received and understood accurately – not what is alleged by commentators, some of whom have shown malicious prejudice against Hamas.

Therefore, I have undertaken what often seems to me to have been the single-handed and thankless task of ignoring the pundits with their various ideological prejudices and instead noting what Hamas actually says about itself.

The following is taken directly from the Hamas Charter.

Hamas defines itself as ‘a chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood’ and its aim is ‘to establish an Islamic state throughout Palestine’. The foundational document was written by an official Council of Hamas and signed on August 18, 1988. It characterises Israeli society as Nazi-like in its cruelty and declares all of Palestine as, ‘…a WAAF, an unalienable religious property consisting of land endowed to Muslims in perpetuity by God.’

The Charter rejects a two-state solution to territorial disagreements stating: ‘The conflict cannot be resolved except through jihad.’

Article 6 states that the movement’s aim is to ‘raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine’.

In May 2017, a revised version of the Charter was published which maintains, ‘…the longstanding goal of an Islamist Palestinian state covering all of the area of today’s Israel, West Bank, and Gaza Strip, and that the State of Israel is illegal and illegitimate.’

It rejects the Oslo Accords and affirms Hamas’ commitment to the use of force. It also claims to support democracy.

(Please allow me the following factual intrusion: Hamas has held no elections since 2006.)

On reflection, it seems unfair of me, and certainly restrictive, to refer only to Hamas’ Charter. I append a selection of the exact words of various leaders in Hamas over the years:

‘We regard the killing of Osama bin Laden as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood. We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs.’ – Ismail Haniyeh, Head of the Hamas Administration in Gaza May 2, 2011.

‘The Jews are the most despicable and contemptible nation to crawl upon the face of the Earth. Allah will kill the Jews in the hell of the world to come, just like they killed the believers in the hell of this world.’ – Sermon by Atallah Abu Al-Subh, Hamas Minister of Culture on Al-Aqsa TV April 8, 2011.

‘The Jews kill anyone who believes in Allah. They do not want to see any peace whatsoever on Earth.’ – Statement from Hamas Ministry of Refugee Affairs 2018.

‘Palestine is Islamic, and not an Islamic emirate, from the river to the sea, that unites the Palestinians. Jews have no right in it.’ – Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahhar Future News TV June 15, 2010.

‘We have liberated Gaza, but have we recognised Israel? Have we given up our lands occupied in 1948? We demand the liberation of the West Bank, and the establishment of a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with Jerusalem as its capital – but without recognising Israel. This is the key – without recognising the Israeli enemy on a single inch of land.’ – Hamas leader Mahmoud a-Zahar Al-Aqsa TV January 4, 2009

‘This is the time for the third uprising. Resistance will continue through suicide missions.’ – Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum, December 27, 2008;

‘Hamas will continue the resistance until the last drop of blood.’ – Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum, December 25, 2008.

‘The Jewish lobby controls the US elections and defines the foreign policy of any new administration in a manner that allows it to retain control of the American government and economy.’ – Dr Yussuf Al-Sharafi, Hamas representative April 12, 2007.

‘The Jewish faith does not wish for peace nor stability, since it is a faith that is based on murder: “I kill, therefore I am.”… Israel is based only on blood and murder in order to exist, and it will disappear, with Allah’s will, through blood and Shahids [martyrs]’ – Sheikh Dr Ahmad Bahar, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, April 20 2007.

‘Hamas will not change a single word in its covenant which is calling for the destruction of Israel.’ – Ismail Haniyah Hamas, leader January 20, 2017.

‘We do not recognise the Israeli enemy, nor his right to be our neighbour, nor to stay on the land nor his ownership of any inch of land.’ – Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu-Zuhri January 13, 2006.

‘We are part of Allah’s promise that Islam will enter Palestine and every home in the world, with a revelation of the power of Allah the Omnipotent, and a revelation of the inferiority of the infidels. Hamas is leading this plan in Gaza, the West Bank, and the 1948 territories, and the Muslim Brotherhood is leading it everywhere else. This is part of Allah’s predestination.’ – Sheik Nizar Rayan, Hamas, September 16.

‘We have come here in multitudes to proclaim that Hirbiya and Ashkelon will be taken by the mujahideen. We have come here to say that the weapons of the resistance that you see here will remain, Allah willing, so that we can liberate Palestine – all of Palestine – from the Sea to the River, whether they like it or not.’ – Hamas leader Dr Abdel Aziz Rantisi, March 28 2003.

‘She [first Hamas woman suicide bomber] is not going to be the last because the march of resistance will continue until the Islamic flag is raised, not only over the minarets of Jerusalem, but over the whole universe.’ – Abdel Aziz Rantisi, Hamas leader, June 10 2003,

‘By God, we will not leave one Jew in Palestine. We will fight them with all the strength we have. This is our land, not the Jews.’ – Sheik Ahmed Yassin, January 30, 2003.

‘America always works in favour of the existence of the Israeli entity. This is mainly due to the Zionist-Christian conviction and the 70 million Americans who follow the Protestant creed, which is in favour of Jews against the Muslims. The same applies to most of Britain’s population.’ – Sheik Ahmed Yassin, interview, Palestine-info March 2001.

‘Come to jihad, come to jihad, come to martyrdom. Those thirsty for jihad all over the world. For the sake of Allah. For liberating the land of Palestine and Jerusalem. We declared and continue to declare now, that a Jew is a Jew. Do not trust them when they say they want peace because they act only] to serve their religion and their people.’ – Hamas communiqué, October 5, 1988, translated and distributed by the Islamic Association for Palestine.

‘The Jews: killed the prophets…slaughtered the innocent…imprisoned our pious… NO PEACE WITH THE MURDERERS.’ – Hamas communiqué September 8, 1988, translated and distributed by the Islamic Association for Palestine.

As I said at the start, I am disgusted by the widespread malicious propaganda against Hamas… I hope that, by quoting directly from its leaders, I have helped to clear up some political misunderstandings – particularly among those who are calling for a ceasefire in the current war and for a ‘two-state solution’.