Introduction

On August 18, 1988, Hamas (the Islamic Resistance Movement) formally adopted its founding charter, known as the Hamas Covenant. This document established the ideological foundation and political objectives of the organization, which emerged during the First Intifada as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine.

Historical Context

The Covenant was written during a pivotal moment in Palestinian history:

  • The First Intifada had begun in December 1987, marking a sustained uprising against Israeli occupation
  • King Hussein of Jordan would soon renounce Jordan's claims to the West Bank (July 1988), creating a power vacuum
  • The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was increasingly recognized internationally as the representative of Palestinian interests
  • Hamas sought to establish itself as an Islamic alternative to the secular PLO

Key Provisions

Article I: The Movement's Definition

The Movement's program is Islam. From it, it draws its ideas, ways of thinking and understanding of the universe, life and man.

Article VI: The Movement's Loyalty

The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinct Palestinian Movement which owes its loyalty to Allah, derives from Islam its way of life and strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine.

Article VII: The Universality of Hamas

The Hamas has been looking forward to implement Allah's promise whatever time it might take. The prophet, prayer and peace be upon him, said: The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!

Article XI: The Strategy of Hamas

The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up.

Article XIII: Peaceful Solutions

Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement... There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad.

Article XV: The Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine

The day that enemies usurp part of Muslim land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Muslim. In face of the Jews' usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised.

Article Thirty-Two: The Attempts to Isolate the Palestinian People

Leaving the circle of struggle with Zionism is high treason, and cursed be he who does that. "Zionism" is dedicated to the goal of Jewish sovereignty over all of Palestine, including Transjordan.

Significance and Impact

The Hamas Covenant represented:

  1. Rejection of Israel's Right to Exist: The document explicitly called for the destruction of Israel and establishment of an Islamic state in all of historic Palestine

  2. Alternative to PLO: It positioned Hamas as an Islamic alternative to the secular, nationalist approach of the PLO

  3. Rejection of Peace Negotiations: The Covenant rejected any peaceful settlement or compromise with Israel

  4. Religious Foundation: It grounded Palestinian resistance in Islamic theology rather than secular nationalism

Later Developments

The 1988 Covenant remained controversial and significant:

  • In 2017, Hamas issued a new political document that some interpreted as a softening of positions, though it did not formally revoke the 1988 Covenant
  • The document has been cited extensively in discussions about Hamas's true intentions and whether the organization could ever accept a two-state solution
  • Israeli leaders and supporters frequently cite the Covenant as evidence that Hamas seeks Israel's destruction

Sources

This article draws from the complete English translation of the Hamas Covenant maintained by the Avalon Project at Yale Law School, which preserves the full text of this historically significant document.

See Also

  • First Intifada
  • Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine
  • King Hussein's Disengagement from the West Bank (July 1988)
  • Oslo Accords (1993)