Description
Book SynopsisDespite the boycott Hamas was subjected to since its victory in the 2006 parliamentary elections, it has become a significant player on the international stage. It boasts a territory identifiable by its borders, internationally recognized cease-fire lines and effective authority over a population. This book, a study in international relations, shows how Hamas willingly mobilizes Palestinian internal issues to establish its legitimacy on a global scale, and at the same time, uses its relations with non-Palestinian players to compete against its political rivals on the Palestinian national stage. Leila Seurat reveals that Hamas’s foreign and internal policy are strongly intertwined and centred mainly on Hamas’s quest for recognition. The book then is a comprehensive diplomatic history of Palestine, focused on the political orientations of Hamas towards both Israel and other countries. Its coverage spans the movement’s victory in 2006 up until more recent momentous events, including, Hamas’ response to Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ and Israel’s announcement of the annexation of the Jordan Valley, as well as the proclamation of normalization accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and the impact of Covid19. The book is based on Leila Seurat’s extensive fieldwork and interviews with Hamas’s leading officials across the West Bank, Gaza, Damascus, Geneva and Beirut in addition to recent video-conferences planned by various NGOs and attended by West Bank, Gaza and Diaspora Palestinians.
Trade ReviewThe book stands out for its wide use of original source material together with many wide-ranging personal interviews. The approach used is quite fascinating, and allows the author to arrive at a new understanding of Hamas as a player in regional and international politics. -- Helga Baumgarten, Birzeit University, Palestine
Table of ContentsIntroduction
PART ONE: GENERAL ORENTATIONS OF HAMAS FOREIGN POLICY CHAPTER ONE: Hamas and Israel – Conciliation and Confrontation CHAPTER TWO: Hamas and the rest of the World CHAPTER THREE: Syria, Iran and Egypt
PART TWO: THE VARIOUS INTERESTS AT THE BASIS OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF HAMAS CHAPTER FOUR: Outside: Seeking Recognition and Looking for Resources CHAPTER FIVE: Inside: reinforcing itself and competing against its rivals CHAPTER SIX: Ideology and defence of external interests
PART THREE: PLACE AND FUNCTION OF IDEOLOGY IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF HAMAS CHAPTER SEVEN: Ideology and the defence of internal interests
PART FOUR: THE IMPACT OF DECISION MAKING ON HAMAS FOREIGN POLICY CHAPTER EIGHT: Collective decisions, unilateral decisions CHAPTER NINE: Causes of dissent Conclusion
