In a surprising revelation, it appears that Hamas, the Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organization, does not limit its animosity solely towards Jews and Israel.
If you identify as a Christian, a follower of any other religion, or even a member of community organizations such as the Rotary club or the Lions, you too are considered an adversary by Hamas.
"Hamas is using Gaza as a shield to gain legitimacy," states Walid Phares, a renowned author and Middle East expert. "The truth is that this is a jihadist movement, and it is manifesting itself in America and Canada, and in Western Europe. Our democratic world has never been at this level of danger."
The Hamas charter, which outlines the organization's guiding philosophy, seeks to expand Islam's influence to become the dominant religion worldwide, targeting any non-believer, including the average American citizen. This charter, known as "The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement," was adopted on August 18, 1988.
The charter asserts that every Muslim's duty is "Jihad," and that "there is no solution to the Palestinian question except through Jihad." It further states that "the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians," unless they adhere to the ways of Hamas.
"Israel is merely a barrier that the international community happens to be blocking them," says Phares, author of the new book, "Iran, An Imperialistic Republic and U.S. Policy," which elucidates how Tehran's proxies, like Hamas, disseminate their message of hate. "They understand our society very well. They are here," he added.
Interestingly, Article 22 of the Hamas charter mentions an unexpected target of its call for Jihad: the quintessentially American business, community, and charitable organizations found nationwide, such as Rotary and Lions clubs. Freemasonry is also included in this list.
The charter accuses these "secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world" of sabotaging societies and advancing Zionist interests. Hamas criticizes these humanitarian organizations, falsely accusing them of attempting to "colonize many countries in order to enable them to exploit their resources and spread corruption."
Phares explains, "They are part of what the Jihadists consider a sin, a national sin. They will go against them; they will go against the Freemasons and they will go against every entity that is a social organization."
Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security, announcing that the bureau has intensified investigations into Hamas to thwart any potential Hamas-related attacks on U.S. soil and halt any financial support flowing to the terrorist group.
"Weve kept our sights on Hamas and have multiple investigations into individuals affiliated with that foreign terrorist organization," Wray stated.
"We've seen a rogues gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against Americans and our allies," he told the panel. "We cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or another foreign terrorist organization may exploit the current conflict to conduct attacks here, on our own soil."
Federal prosecutors have brought numerous cases against Hamas-affiliated charities and individuals in the U.S. The most notable convictions, in 2008, were of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development and five of its leaders on charges of providing material support to Hamas. The foundation, based in Richardson, Texas, was found to have funneled at least $12 million to Hamas, and some of its leaders were sentenced to up to 65 years in federal prison.
Congressional testimony linked the Holy Land Foundation with current Hamas political leader Abu Marzouk, who authorities said in 1992 "provided more than 10 percent of all donations to the Holy Land Foundation." Today, Marzouk is believed to be living in Qatar and is worth more than $3 billion.
While FBI Director Wray stated that "were not currently tracking a specific plot," he explained that the bureau is "keeping a close eye on what impact recent events may have on those terrorist groups intentions here in the United States, and how those intentions might evolve."
Both the Rotary and Lions clubs told Fox News that their organizations are not political and are known for their extensive volunteer and charitable work worldwide.
The Rotary Club and the Lions reported that they each have more than 1.4 million members and are engaged in a variety of humanitarian efforts, from providing food programs and rebuilding communities to fighting diseases and providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The Lions told Fox News that "Lions International is a non-political, non-sectarian volunteer service organization whose members are dedicated to serving a world in need."
The Rotary stated that it, too, "is non-political, non-religious and exclusively focused on providing humanitarian support everywhere."
Observers note that it is a sad and revealing testament to the misguided philosophy of Hamas, that it would ever consider those who help as worthy of its enmity.
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