Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas): Performance Evaluation
Abdul Sattar Kassem

Abstract
The paper evaluates the performance of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) which is labeled by the US and other Western countries as a terrorist organization in the period after 2006, after she won the Palestinian legislative elections of 2006. Many parties including Palestinians, the US and Israel tried to remove Hamas from office and dismantle it as a military organization but failed. Hamas received support from some other parties such as Iran and Syria, and could survive the war waged by Israel on Gaza in 2008/2009, and the siege imposed. Hamas succeeded in ousting the Palestinian Authority from Gaza and impose her vision on the Arab Israeli conflict, but failed in meeting the expectations of the people as an authority running the daily life of the Palestinians in Gaza strip. Hamas proved to be professional fighters, but poor administrators. Along the lines of the Moslem Brothers, Hamas is ready to talk peace, but not ready to recognize Israel.

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