Hamas rebrands itself to improve international image

The internationally isolated group now describes itself as a Palestinian resistance movement, dropping references to war against Jews.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh waves to supporters during a rally on December 14, 2015, to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the Hamas in Gaza City. Hamas has drafted a new political program that it hoShow more

GAZA CITY // The Islamic militant group Hamas has drafted a new political programme it hopes will improve ties with neighbouring Egypt and the West, as it seeks to present a more moderate image that will help it get off western terrorism lists.

The internationally isolated group, which has ruled the Gaza Strip for the past decade, describes itself in the manifesto as a Palestinian resistance movement against Israeli occupation, dropping references to holy war against Jews. It also raises the possibility of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem — lands Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

The document plays down ties to Hamas’ parent movement, the regional Muslim Brotherhood, which is considered a terror organisation by the Egyptian government.

However, Hamas appears to have stopped short of a significant ideological shift amid concerns about alienating its hardline base at a time when ultra-fundamentalist groups, such as the Salafists, are making inroads, particularly in Gaza.

The new programme, to be made public at the end of the month, will not formally replace Hamas’ 1988 founding covenant, which called for the destruction of Israel and for “confronting the usurpation of Palestine by the Jews through jihad”.

In referring to a Palestinian state, Hamas does not spell out whether it considers this an acceptable solution to the conflict with Israel or a stepping stone to its long-standing goal of an Islamic state in all of historic Palestine, including what is now Israel.

It makes no mention of recognising Israel, which its political rival, the Palestine Liberation Organisation, did in 1993. At the time, the PLO was led byYasser Arafat, predecessor of the current Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

Salah Bardawil, a Hamas official, confirmed that the document was approved after internal discussions and has been translated into several languages.

* Associated Press