Hamas : Palestinian Terrorists

Discusses the origins, philosophy, and most notorious attacks of the Hamas terrorist group, including their present activities, possible plans, and counter-terrorism efforts directed against them.

Reviewed with Phillip Margulies' Al-Queda.

Gr. 5-7. Based entirely on published English-language sources, books in the Inside the Worlds Most Famous Terrorist Organizations series trace the origins, missions, and methods of currently or recently active militant organizations--mostly from the viewpoints of victims and official agencies. Readers will discover that despite some common attributes, there are major differences between Al Qaeda and Hamas. Margulies views the former as a politically oriented organization that seeks large-scale results and takes a corporate approach. Rosaler explains that Hamas, which began as, and remains, a religious social-service provider, only developed a radical wing in relatively recent times. Both authors profile prominent figures and tally major incidents attributed to the group, carefully noting when involvement in an atrocity is not proven. Both also balance their accounts by arguing that these organizations are seen by some as heroic representatives of economically and politically downtrodden peoples. With color photos that aren't too shocking and long reading lists updated by links gathered on a dedicated Web site, these will be useful for school reports. They also send an ominous message about the future of terrorist violence. John Peters
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