Myth:

"There is a distinction between the political and terror wings of Hamas."

Fact:

Apologists for Palestinian terror, especially in the media, sometimes argue that Hamas shouldn't be labeled a terrorist organization because only some members engage in murder while others perform charitable activity. The ombudsman for the Washington Post, for example, argued that , since Hamas is a "nationalist movement" engaged in "some social work," the perpetrators of Palestinian suicide and other attacks should be described in the press as "militants" or "gunmen" (The Washington Post, Sept. 21, 2003).

A false distinction is made between the "political" and "military" wings of Hamas. All of the activities of Hamas are intertwined, and serve the organization's primary objective laid out in its covenant, namely, to "raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine."

Hamas's leader, Sheikh Ahmad Yasin, denies that Hamas has uncoordinated wings: "We cannot separate the wing from the body. If we do so, the body will not be able to fly. Hamas is one body" (Reuters, May 27, 1998). And the "political" leaders of Hamas freely admit their relationship to the murderers. "The political leadership," Hamas spokesman, 'Abd al-'Aziz ar-Rantisi said, "has freed the hand of the ['Izz ad-Din al-Qassam] brigades to do whatever they want against the brothers of monkeys and pigs [i.e., Jews]" (Reuters, July 31, 2001).

While Hamas does engage in social work, this is closely connected to the "armed struggle." Various charitable activities are used to recruit young Palestinians for terrorist operations. Hospitals, mosques, sport clubs, libraries, and schools serve not only their expected roles but also act as covers for hiding weapons, obtaining supplies, and indoctrinating future suicide bombers.

The education system is used to incite young Palestinians to become martyrs."The children of the kindergarten are the shaheeds [martyrs] of tomorrow," read signs in a Hamas-run school, while placards in classrooms at al-Najah University in the West Bank and at Gaza's Islamic University declare that "Israel has nuclear bombs; we have human bombs" (USA Today, June 26, 2001).

Hamas operatives use Islamic charities and social welfare programs to skim and launder funds, and to earn money to live on while they engage in terrorism. Recipients of Hamas charity also understand there is a quid pro quo. If they are asked to provide assistance, whether it be to hide weapons, provide a safe house for a fugitive, or act as a courier, few are likely to refuse (Matthew Levitt, "Hamas from Cradle to Grave," The Middle East Quarterly, Winter 2004).

The United States government recognizes the connection between the charitable activities of Hamas and its terrorist campaign, which is why the Treasury Department designated six senior Hamas political leaders and five charities as terrorist entities. According to Treasury, "the political leadership of Hamas directs its terrorist networks just as they oversee their other activities."