Hamas : terrorism, governance, and its future in Middle East politics

Structured around key elements at the regional, political, institutional, and personal levels of analysis, this is a complete and forward-leaning view of Hamas that provides a deep and detailed examination of the history, ideology, political prospects, and regional opportunities of an often poorly understood organization that is redefining 21st-century terrorism. The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has long been an influential player in the tumultuous Middle East, but as the region's instability grows, so does the importance and potential influence of this organization. The fact that the Hamas of today defies most of the traditional categorizations of both terrorist organizations and political parties makes the group an ideal study on how states in the Middle East are likely to continue to change. This book offers a clear picture of how Hamas fits into a dramatically evolving region, enabling readers to see how Hamas itself has evolved ideologically, militarily, and politically as well as how it will continue to shape and be shaped by the broader Middle East region. Author Jennifer Jefferis, PhD, provides the first comprehensive consideration of Hamas in the context of the post-Arab Spring climate, the rise of ISIS, and the consequential emerging politics of the region, presenting information that is highly detailed yet written to be accessible to all audiences whether or not they have previous knowledge of the organization. The book provides coverage of Hamas's current relationship with Israel and its impact on the Palestinian territories while focusing on the significance of the organization's role in the broader region-particularly critical in light of the recent political uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Syria. Provides a detailed and contemporary look at an influential organization that has enormous potential to shape the role that radicalized Islam will play in the Middle East over the next decade Enables a deeper understanding of how Hamas is poised-in light of its ideological, political, and military objectives-to influence the development of the Middle East region in the coming years Offers insightful new analysis about Hamas' approach to violence and political engagement that identifies what their methodologies can tell us about violent non-state actors, political engagement, and regional alliances of the future, and predicts whether policymakers' and strategists' future efforts to engage (or not engage) with radical political parties will likely be effective