Shortly before the bombing, the bomber records a video testament and then repeatedly watches it and other videos made by his predecessors. Hamas assures the bombers their deaths will be painless and that dozens of virgins await them in paradise. The average bombing costs about $150 (Hamas, 2009). Hamas enjoys strong financial backing from Iran an estimated $20 - $30 million along with private benefactors and Muslim charities in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. Its budget has been estimated at $70 million and 85% of it reportedly comes from abroad. The remaining 15% is raised among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. A number of Americans and U.S.-based charities have been accused of funneling money to Hamas. It is estimated that Saudi Arabia continues to channel $12 - $14 million to Hamas every year (Hamas Fact Sheet, 2006).

Hamas is believed to have killed more than five hundred people in more than 350 separate terrorist attacks since 1993. Not all Hamas's attacks have been carried out by suicide bombers. There is also a group that has accepted responsibility for assaults using mortars, short-range rockets, and small arms fire. In 1996, Hamas bombings played an important role in undermining the election hopes of Labor Party leader Shimon Peres. Between 2001 and 2003, Hamas and its comrades of Palestinian Islamic Jihad carried out dozens of such attacks, ultimately leading Israel to begin building a barrier between itself and the Palestinian regions (Hamas, 2009). All of this continues to farther deepen the hatred between these groups and perpetuate the violence in that region.

The Hamas is assisted by other terrorist organizations overseas including Al Qaida and the Hizbullah, both which aspire to advance the strategic objectives of Hamas. The ties between these parties are based upon personal contacts and their identification with Islam and the principle of Jihad. These ties are critical in Hamas being able to carry out their missions both politically and socially (Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement), n.d.).

In 2006 the Middle East Quartet consisting of the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations indicated that assistance to the PA would only continue if Hamas gave up violence, recognized Israel, and accepted previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Hamas refused and as a result, the United States and the EU announced they were halting assistance to the Hamas led PA government. The European Union had been the PA's largest donor since it was created in 1996. At the same time, Israel began withholding about $50 million in monthly tax and customs receipts that it had collected. In 2005, international assistance and the Israeli collected revenues together accounted for about two-thirds of PA revenues. At this same...

banking system. The resulting fiscal crisis left the Hamas led government unable to pay wages regularly and deepened poverty levels in the Palestinian territories. The government was forced to rely on shrinking domestic tax revenues and cash that Hamas officials carried back from overseas. By the end of 2006, tensions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were rising while living conditions continued to get worse and PA employees, including members of the security forces, went unpaid for weeks or months. Armed supporters of Fatah and Hamas clashed repeatedly, blaming each other, settling scores, and drifting into chaos. More than 100 Palestinians were killed in the violence that occurred (Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement), n.d.).
Although many groups have tried to suppress the violent efforts of Hamas there has not been much success in this area. Hamas continues to follow their long held beliefs. These beliefs consist of destroying the state of Israel and replacing it with an Islamic state. They continue to use violence and terrorism to carry out their missions while killing many people along the way. As long as they continue to believe in what they are fighting for and they continue to have financial backers they will continue their quest to rid the Jews from the Palestine state. Hamas will continue to teach their children to hate Jews and they will grow up and follow in their leaders footsteps. Until this entire group is conquered and disbanded this intense hatred will continue to spread among these people and their will not be peace in this region of the world.

References

Hamas. (2009). Retrieved March 26, 2009, from Council on Foreign Relations Web site:

http://www.cfr.org/publication/8968/

Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement). (2008). Retrieved March 26, 2009, from FAS Web site:

http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/hamas.htm

Hamas Fact Sheet. (2006). Retrieved March 26, 2009, from ADL Web site:

http://www.adl.org/main_israel/hamas_facts.htm

Hamas. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2009, from DiscoverThe Network.com Web site:

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6204

Hamas Charter. (n.d.) Retrieved March 26, 2007, from Mid East Web site:

http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm

Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement),(n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2007, from Global Security Web site: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hamas.htm

Hamas- Mahalo. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2009, from Web site:

http://www.mahalo.com/Hamas (Hamas Fact Sheet, 2006).